The Pan African Scrabble Association (PANASA) has officially withdrawn Sierra Leone’s hosting rights for the 2024 Africa Scrabble Championship (ASC) and designated Kigali, Rwanda, as the new venue for the prestigious biennial event.
The decision comes just over two months before the championship, originally scheduled to be held in Freetown in October.
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Freetown had been selected as the host city during the 2022 ASC in Lusaka, Zambia. However, PANASA President Adekoyejo Adegbesan announced that the association was forced to reverse the decision due to inadequate preparations by the Local Organising Committee (LOC) in Sierra Leone.
Adegbesan emphasized that maintaining the high standards expected of a scrabble tournament was paramount in making this “painful but necessary” decision.
“I am pleased to announce that the 15th Africa Scrabble Championship will now take place in Kigali, Rwanda, with the dates remaining unchanged,” Adegbesan stated.
He further explained that the LOC in Sierra Leone failed to demonstrate sufficient progress in preparations during multiple meetings, leading PANASA to shift the event to Rwanda. Additional concerns included the high costs associated with travel within Freetown, further complicating the logistics.
With Kigali as the new host city, PANASA aims to introduce new countries to the scrabble community and expand opportunities for the game. The 15th ASC, coinciding with PANASA’s 30th anniversary, will be held at the Olympics Hotel from October 23 to 27, 2024. Despite objections from the National Scrabble Association of Sierra Leone (NSASL), PANASA remains committed to ensuring a successful championship.
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