Since 1999, the All-Africa Games have included athletes with a disability and the Tanzanian Government supports athletes at the event through the Tanzania Olympic Committee (TOC).

However, the TOC have been criticised by the TPC for overlooking the Paralympic squad even though the TOC has denied being involved in the preparation and participation of TPC at the event.

TOC secretary general Filbert Bayi (pictured) claimed that the National Paralympic Committee is under the umbrella of International Paralympics Committee (IPC) and not the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

"TOC is not involved in the preparation for TPC athletes as they are going to Mozambique under the sponsorship of IPC," said Bayi, the former world record holder for the 1500 metres and mile.

"I do have all the records to back what I am saying.

"TPC is under IPC sponsorship and not us."

TPC secretary general Iddi Kibwana said he is disappointed that the Government, through TOC, has ordered his body to send only five athletes to Mozambique even though his organisation received seven return flight tickets to the 2011 All-Africa Games as a donation from the National Bank of Commerce (NBC).

Before TPC secured the tickets from NBC, the Government said they would only sponsor three Paralympic athletes for the Games.

Kibwana said he was expecting to have a contingent of ten athletes after they received the seven tickets from NBC and that the Government has not fully sponsored Paralympic athletes as they had only contributed money equivalent to the price of three tickets, which has been diverted into accommodation expenditure of the athletes in Mozambique.

"We are very disappointed by the Government after managing to secure seven tickets for our athletes to travel to Mozambique, only to be told that the Government cannot manage to pay accommodation for them", said Kibwana.

Owing to lack of accommodation money, the TPC has returned two more tickets to the NBC donors.

"We are very sorry for any inconvenience this may cause to them after our plans fell apart at eleventh hour," said Kibwana.

Kibwana also complained that there is no camp for his Paralympic athletes when they arrive even though the Government and the chair of the National Sports Council Iddi Kipingu had promised to organise it for them.

"Kipingu promised us that we open camp at the soonest possible point but there is no communication from the Government or TOC and we have lost hope of the camp as we are supposed to board a flight on Thursday", he said.

Kipingu confirmed that the Government "did not budget for TPC participation at the Games" but will facilitate a quick in-house camp for the athletes.

The five TPC athletes who will attend the event are Zaharani Mwenemti, Thomas Jacob, Ignus Mteve, Asheem Twaha and Yhaya Mwila.

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