Sports
Gianni Infantino, Kurt Simeon-Okraku hold historic meeting in Paris
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In a massive boost for Ghana Football, FIFA President Gianni Infantino held a historic meeting with President Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku at the FIFA Offices in Paris, France.
This meeting was at the behest of the FIFA President who had invited President Simeon-Okraku to meet with him to discuss matters related to the development of the game both in Ghana and on the African continent.
The FIFA President gave President Simeon-Okraku a very warm welcome to the FIFA Offices in Paris, indicating how pleased he was to meet with the Ghana FA boss to share thoughts on how the game in Ghana was developing.
The meeting was held in a very positive spirit and the remarks shared by President Simeon-Okraku to reporters after the meeting pointed to the usefulness and progressive nature of the conversation he had with President Infantino.
President Simeon-Okraku, first thanked the FIFA President for the warm reception he had accorded him, going on to share a few key points on the synchronization of the vision of the FIFA President with that of the Ghana Football Association.
“First of all, I would want to say ‘thank you’ to the President [Gianni Infantino] for the invitation. We were here to speak about football on the global stage and, obviously, on the African continent, zooming in to Ghana. FIFA, led by the President, has been at the forefront of support for the development of football, especially in Africa,” he said.
He further added that, “And it was always important for us to engage and to know how far we are going, how well we are doing, and what we have to do to make it much, much, much better. I think that the President is very clear in what needs to be done. And as the President of a Federation, I’m also very clear on the vision of FIFA and, together, we are both sharing the same vision.”
President Kurt Edwin-Simeon Okraku then proceeded to paint a picture of the gains made by Ghana since he took over as President of the Ghana Football Association in 2019.
“I think that the Ghanaian game was at a low before 2019. Fast forward 2019, 2020 and now, and I think that we’ve made big inroads. Bringing all our competitions back. Bringing the desire and the passion of the people back. All our national teams are now competitive. We’ve gone ahead to also introduce more youth competitions, more youth national teams. Back to the (FIFA) World Cup in Qatar, after we lost out in 2018; our Black Queens, the female national team, are back in AFCON, after being away for a while. Our youth national teams are also on the rise again,” he noted.
According to him, “All our domestic competitions are back on track and are held in a timely manner. And so I think the outlook looks very good (for Ghana Football). What we have to do now, going forward, is to harness the potential and the positives that have come out of what we have done, and to make sure that we continue to improve on the work we are doing. But, at the moment, I would say we are on the rise again.”
President Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku in concluding his remarks, showered copious praise on FIFA for the awesome support that the world governing body for Football has given Ghana over the years, specifically acknowledging some key FIFA officials working out of the organization’s Senegal office.
He concluded, “First of all, I would say ‘thank you’ to FIFA the support via various schemes; through the FIFA Forward programme and the many other interventions that FIFA has introduced. Working with the office in Senegal with Gelson [Fernandes] and Solomon [Mudege] and the team, we are very clear on the support and necessary areas. I think that my Association has been very proactive in making sure that we continuously engage. I think that these levels of engagement, when they’re pushed a notch higher, will bring in more results. And this is what we are working on.”
This historic meeting is a shot in the arm for the President of the Ghana Football Association and for the entire Association as it provides fresh impetus for the work of President Simeon-Okraku and his Executive Council in their quest to lift Ghana Football to unprecedented heights.
Just a few years ago, Zinabu Issah’s life revolved around her small trading business, and competing in sports was not on her mind.
Today, the Ghanaian para-athlete stands proudly as a Commonwealth Games silver medalist, proving that determination, hard work and perseverance can transform lives in unimaginable ways.
Issah, who competes in the shot put, javelin and discus events, recalls how her journey began unexpectedly when Coach Emmanuel Sowah Anum approached her and encouraged her to try para-sports.
“I had no intention of doing any sport. I was a petty trader and one day my coach approached me and told me to take up the sport. When he first said it, I laughed because sports was not my thing.
“But he was persistent and eventually convinced me to take up the sport,” she told GNA Sports in an interview.
According to Zinabu, her decision was met with resistance from some family members and friends who questioned why a woman living with a disability would pursue field events.
She faced a lot of stereotypes and criticism, which could easily have discouraged her, but she decided to stay focused on achieving success.
“He (Coach) told me he had seen something in me and believed I could excel in the sport,” she said while expressing gratitude to her coach.
“I want to thank God first of all and also thank my coach for believing in me,” she added.
Her coach, Emmanuel Sowah in an interview, revealed that he spotted Zinabu in Kumasi in 2014 and admitted that life was very difficult for her at the time.
“I saw something in her. I knew I could make her a better field athlete despite her disability, and I personally bought her first training kit. Over the past years, she has developed impressively,” he said.
Coach Sowah said he believes Zinabu can achieve even more and hopes she can step up at the next Paralympic Games, which he is confident she will qualify for.
The road from being a trader to competing in shot put, discus and javelin has been remarkable.
Zinabu has featured in numerous international tournaments, most notably winning gold at the 2024 Paralympic Games Qualifiers Grand Prix in Marrakech, Morocco.
The success earned her recognition, including an award at the 9th Women in Sports Association (WISA) Awards, a moment she says significantly boosted her confidence and motivation.
Her latest achievement came at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where she delivered a season-best throw of 8.65 metres to secure silver in the women’s F57 shot put.
That was Ghana’s first medal of the Games and, according to Zinabu, the victory has changed perceptions within her family.
“Ever since my winning moment at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, my family have praised my exploits, and I am excited about that.
“My junior sister, who in the past told me to stop and promised to give me money to start a new business, is today excited about my achievement,” she said.
With her sights now firmly set on the 2028 Paralympic Games, Zinabu is determined to continue breaking barriers.
“I am preparing for the Paralympics, and I am optimistic of qualification. My target is to go for the gold medal,” she said.
For Zinabu, the journey from being a petty trader to a Commonwealth Games medalist is more than a personal triumph is a story of resilience, belief and the power of giving opportunity a chance. –GNA
The Angel Starlight Foundation (ASF) last Friday presented assorted food items to learners and management of the Street Academy, a sports and cultural organisation in Accra.
Mrs Angel Addo, Founder of the NGO made the donation as part of her birthday celebration.
She presented bags of rice, beans, maize, gallons of cooking oil, biscuits, drinks, soap and toilet rolls.
“This is a yearly ritual for me; choosing to celebrate my birthday with children of the Academy. They are very dear to my heart,” she told the Spectator.
She said “these are underprivileged children who through no fault of theirs find themselves on the streets but have been fortunate to be picked by the Academy and are receiving care.”
He urged government and corporate Ghana to also support the Academy in order to support such children who are offered formal education and trained in skilled programmes.
Receiving the items, Dr Ataa Lartey, Founder of the Academy thanked the Foundation for the gesture which he said would go a long way to ease the burden of the Academy.
In another development, the Academy will host its annual health walk today.
The event would attract children from the Academy and those from neighbouring communities and keep fit enthusiasts.
By Spectator Reporter
