Sports
A call to save Ghana sports
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• Members of the Black Bombers
Three weeks ago, this column focused on an attempt by the national boxing team, the Black Bombers’ onslaught on tickets for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games made available at the ‘Road to Paris 2024’ qualifiers in Bangkok, Thailand.
At the time, the only team to have qualified for the Games was the 4x100m relay team from a similar qualifiers in the Bahamas.
That article under the headline ‘Black Bombers on rescue mission,’ sought to highlight the pressure on the Black Bombers to gain qualification to the global sporting extravaganza and add to the numbers of Team Ghana in Paris.
So, off to Bangkok an impressive Black Bombers team, made up of flyweight Theophilus Kpakpo Allotey, featherweight Mohammed Amadu, light welterweight Joseph Commey, light middleweight Henry Malm, light heavyweight Jonathan Tetteh, British-based super heavyweight Mark Kodjovi Ahondjo and United States-based female middleweight Ornella Sathoud, flew with high hopes.
Sadly, they failed to meet their own expectations and targets; meaning they would miss out on the competition that will feature the finest in the sport.
The team arrived on Tuesday at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) with the disappointment of not qualifying written all over their faces.
From boxers, to coaches and administrators, the mood was that of sadness and dejection.
That was understandable, looking at the huge opportunity missed and the thought of waiting for another four years to start the process all over again.
The next time they reassemble for similar qualifiers, there is no guarantee whether every member of the group would be available.
Surely, the ageing and ambitious ones would want to transit to the professional ranks and create new slots to be filled.
But this is the reality check Ghanaian sports authorities must wake up to accept. It raises a lot of concerns over how the sport that used to provide initial candidates for the Games is now unable to do so.
Under the same technical leadership of Coach Ofori Asare, Ghana was a force in boxing at the Games though that cannot be substantiated on the Games medal table.
However, the likes of the Bastie brothers – Samir and Issah, Abdul Wahid Omar, Sulemana Tetteh, Samuel Takyi, Musa Rahman Lawson made Olympic qualification look easy.
So, why our boxers or athletes, generally, are struggling to qualify for the Olympics should be a matter of concern for sports administrators.
Two things immediately comes to mind – that it’s either by way of low investment in the sports or the fact that half-baked athletes are being produced.
With the Bangkok opportunity gone with the wind, hopes of getting a boost for athletics rests on the two day Confederation of Africa Athletics (CAA) Region II Athletics Championships that ended at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium on Wednesday.
It is the hope of Ghanaians that more athletes would qualify from the event to join the relay team to make a proper representation at the Games.
Anything short of this would affect our image as a country that believes in the power of sports.
By Andrew Nortey
In a resolve to build clearer pathway for athletes, the President of the Ghana Taekwondo Federation (GTF), Mr Frederick Lartey Otu, has indicated the new executive’s commitment to strengthen collaboration with major stakeholders in the development and promotion of the sport.
According to him, it would be difficult to achieve its set targets set for the new elected term without a good working relations with such collaborators.
Mr Otu said this when he addressed participants at the closing ceremony of the 16th edition of the Korean Ambassador’s Cup Taekwondo Championship held last Saturday at the Borteyman Sports Complex.
The event saw the Greater Accra Region’s dominance as they amassed a total of 26 medals consisting of 10 gold, eight silver and eight bronze medals.
The Upper East Region followed in second position with a gold, silver and six bronze medals and Western Region in third after annexing a gold and silver medals.
According to him, the new executive will continue to strengthen collaboration with the Ministry of Sports and Recreation (MoSR), National Sports Authority (NSA), Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC), the Korean Embassy in Accra, corporate organisations as well as educational institutions and Regional Associations.
“Our recent engagements with key stakeholders have reinforced our belief that there is a willingness to support Ghana Taekwondo when we present clear programmes, demonstrate accountability and work collaboratively,” he stated.
Consequently, he assured of the executive board’s commitment to good governance, transparency, accountability, teamwork and respect for all stakeholders.
“We’ll listen to our regions, clubs, coaches, athletes, officials and members of the Taekwondo family. We’ll continue to improve our administrative systems, documentation, communication, financial planning and programme coordination,” he added.
Mr Otu noted that the board was committed to building a sustainable Taekwondo development system that produces athletes, coaches, referees and administrators capable of representing Ghana with pride.
He said starting this month, the GTF will roll out its first major initiative – the Regional Taekwondo Awareness Campaign, to be launched in the Ashanti Region.
The campaign is designed to take Taekwondo directly to the schools and communities, particularly areas where sporting opportunities are limited.
“Our immediate target is to begin with at least five deprived regions — Northern Region, Upper West Region, Bono Region, Central Region and Ashanti Region — and identify young people with the potential to become future Taekwondo athletes,” he emphasised.
Mr Otu expressed gratitude to the Korean embassy for its continuous support for the championship which he said had given Ghanaian athletes the opportunity to compete, gain valuable experience, test themselves against quality opposition and develop the confidence necessary to progress to higher levels of competition.
At the end of the competition, the embassy presented a number of Taekwondo attires to the GTF to boost the sport’s promotion in Ghana.
By Andrew Nortey
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CAF 2nd Vice President and President of the Ghana Football Association, Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, has visited the Black Princesses in Poland ahead of their opening game at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
The GFA President, who watched the team’s training session, assured the players of the Association’s full support and backed them to make history by qualifying from the group stage for the first time.
“A few days ago, I was in a chat with the head coach and I promised that I was going to join him for what I think is the most important game for us, which is the first game,” President Simeon-Okraku told the team.
“For me, the first game is the most important, because if we start well, chances are that we will do well. History tells us that this team has always been here. We’ve always been at this tournament for seven consecutive times. My inner faith is telling me that we have enough quality here to qualify from this group.”
He praised the players for their sacrifice and patience throughout preparations, saying their investment would be repaid on the pitch.
“You have been patient and gone through the troubles and the hassles. And you are here today. I believe that these sacrifices you have made, these investments you have made, will be repaid,” he said.
The GFA President stressed that Ghana has the quality to overcome their group opponents.
“We are faced by three opponents — Ecuador, Korea Republic and France. These three nations, believe me, are no better than us. We have enough quality in this team to win games in this group and to make it to the second round of the competition.”
“This tournament is played every two years, so after 14 years, this is the 16th year now — this group must be the one that makes it out of the group to the knockout stage. And this must happen.”
“I think the team is ready. The technical team have done a good job. The players have conducted themselves well. We will continue to support you to ensure you get the best to be able to compete at this level.”
He also charged the final squad to make those who missed out proud.
“A few of you were here but didn’t make the squad and had to leave. This is that moment that you have to make them proud.”
President Simeon-Okraku was accompanied to the training ground by Chief of Staff at the GFA, Michael Osekre, and President of Dreams FC, Jiji Alifoe.
Ghana will open their campaign against Ecuador on September 6, 2026, before facing Korea Republic and France in their other group matches.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
