The national selection procedure for the athletes going to represent Rwanda in the forthcoming 16th edition of the African championships set for April 30-May 4 in Addis Ababa has been slammed by APR Athletics club athletic Godfrey Rutayisire as uncalled for .

Rutayisire as well as Gervais Hakizimana were axed from the squad on grounds that they were expected to take part in the African Military games due in Kampala, Uganda in June.

The pair has blamed the Rwanda Athletics Federation for their axing.

"I don’t see why they could not let us take part in the event. Ethiopia has the most some of the world’s most recognised athletes whom every upcoming athlete would like to contest against", Rutayisire said

However, the federation’s secretary general Appolinare Munyangoga said that nothing could be done because the pair was replaced with other players after they expressed their willingness to participate in the Military Games.

"We have sent the final squad to the organizers, so nothing can be done at the moment," Munyangoga said.

The Ethiopian bound team is composed of six athletes, three in the male and female categories respectively.

They include; Sylvain Rukundo(10000m), Cyriaque Ndayikengurikiye(5000m), Musa Bizimana(400m), Jean d’Arc Uwamahoro(800m), Sophia Kanakuze(200m) and Angelline Nyiransabimana(10000m) as well as team’s caretaker is Emmanuel Habiyambere.

The African championship will help in qualifying athletes to this year’s Beijing games set for August 8-24 in China.

According to Appolinaire Munyangoga, Secretary General of Rwanda Athletics Federation, RAF, athletes could not be added on the list sent to the organizers whatsoever.

"We could not fix them because the list has already been sent to the organizers in Ethiopia," said Munyangoga.

Rwandan athletes are expected to face tough challenge from regional long distance powerhouse rivals Ethiopia and Kenya who have tried to line up their best talented athletes to defend their respective title attained two year’s ago in Mauritius.

Over 35 African countries are expected to spice-up the six-day long championship.

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