Sports
Are we ready for Ghana 2023?
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Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.
The aforementioned statement – made by Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States – clearly underpins the importance of preparation.
There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hardwork and learning from failure. Indeed, it is said that behind every brilliant performance there were countless hours of practice and preparation.
So, we have less than two years to hosting the continent’s biggest multi-sport festival – African Games; yet we cannot see any real preparation towards the event.
We were told that a new 50,000-capacity stadium was to be constructed for the 2023 African Games at Borteyman in the Greater Accra Region – with an amount of $200 million (£152 million/ €168 million) already earmarked for the project.
The President himself was thrilled by the fact that Ghana was going to have such facility which would include multi-purpose sports halls for all indoor sports, aquatic centres for swimming and tennis courts among others.
“Presently, none of the sports stadia in Ghana meets the required standard for continental games. It is, thus, necessary to construct appropriate sports facilities in the country that will be able to host the 25 sporting disciplines from the African Games,” President Nana Akufo-Addo said.
It is true that we do have the requisite facility to host the Games and the President could not have hammered it home better.
However, from the foregoing, many are beginning to cast doubt about the early completion of the project and by extension, the nation’s readiness to host the continent.
Interestingly, Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 2023 Africa Games, Dr Kweku Ofosu Asare, has reiterated Ghana’s readiness to host the Games.
He said works were progressing steadily to ensure that the country hosted a successful competition, adding that the government was committed and fully behind the Committee to organise a flawless event.
Aside the infrastructural challenges, we expect selected athletes from the respective medal-pumping disciplines to be sent intermittently on training programmes abroad to prepare them ahead of the 2023 Games. That exposure is extremely important.
That is the only way we can expect to win medals.
Cote d’Ivoire performed creditably well at the African Games in Morocco, picking five gold medals as against two by Ghana simply because they prepared better. Their feat did not pop up from nowhere! Years of investment and quality preparations paid off.
Four weightlifters were supposed to have gone for the Tokyo Olympic qualifiers in Kenya this week, but the trip had to be postponed because the Federation thought it was waste of funds since only one of them – Forrester Osei, had made it to the Games per the recent ranking by the World Weightlifting Federation (WWF).
Ideally, the rest should have been allowed to compete in the qualifiers, having trained vigorously ahead of the trip in which they had three domestic trials.
For sure, we know we cannot host and win! That is incontestable. However, we have got to put up a remarkably gleaming performance and garner home, perhaps, our biggest haul of medals in the Games history.
It is achievable! It is doable!
But the sector ministry must sit up and draw up an efficacious strategy as they seriously engage eggheads of the various potential medal-winning disciplines in the scheme of things – and chart the way forward.
We ought to get it right, this time around! No excuses!
Let us burn the candle at both ends now because 2023 is going to be more fiercely competitive than what was witnessed in Morocco.
The media have made it clear that they are ever ready to support the sports ministry, the National Sports Authority (NSA) and its associations to achieve their targets; but would not hesitate to whip them into line when they go off-course!
Once again, let the preparations start now!
We need more international competitions for our various athletes; that is the only way they can be in fine fettle for the onerous assignment ahead!
If South Africa wins many medals in Tokyo, we should not be surprised. Their team to the 2019 world university games was bigger than Ghana’s team to African Games. South Africa was 10th on the medals table, meeting some of the emerging names who show up at subsequent Olympics as winners. Already, some of their athletes made Olympic qualification time.
So before Tokyo, the State has invested in their preparation and test of medals potential. We have hammered on this over and over again but it is almost always fallen on deaf ears.
We set unimaginably high targets for our athletes with huge, cyclopean prizes to go with it when deep down our hearts we know they are not achievable!
Limpidly, you do not reap where you have not sown! Things do not work like that! The theatrics are increasingly becoming an eyesore now.
PlainTalk with JOHN VIGA
Accra Hearts of Oak and Dreams FC will headline Matchday 5 of the Ghana Premier League when the two sides meet at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium tomorrow, with both clubs seeking a result that could shape their early season campaign.
The encounter comes at a crucial moment for the two sides with the Phobians looking to recover from their first defeat of the campaign and Dreams still searching for their first victory after four matches.
The Rainbow lads started the season strongly but were beaten 1-0 by Karela United last weekend, while Dreams suffered a slim 1-0 defeat to Bechem United.
Hearts had earlier recorded impressive victories over Berekum Chelsea and Bibiani Gold Stars before drawing goalless with Bechem United, leaving the club with seven points from their opening four matches.
Their defeat at Karela United, however, means they will be under pressure to quickly return to winning ways against a Dreams side determined to make home advantage count.
Dreams, meanwhile, have endured a difficult beginning to the campaign and will see tomorrow’s fixture as an opportunity to change their fortunes.
The ‘Still Believe’ side have collected points from only their opening draws and are yet to register a victory, making the meeting with one of the country’s traditional giants an important test of their character.
Elsewhere, Vision FC will welcome Bibiani Gold Stars to the Nii Adjei Kraku II Sports Complex today, with both teams looking to strengthen their positions.
Vision have shown encouraging form in the early stages, while Gold Stars will be seeking a response after suffering a 2-0 home defeat to newcomers Port City FC.
At the Debibi Presby Park, newly promoted Debibi United will face defending champions Medeama SC tomorrow.
Medeama finally opened their account with a convincing 4-1 victory over Basake Holy Stars and will be hoping that the result marks the beginning of a stronger title defence.
Port City FC will continue their impressive debut campaign when they host Bechem United at the Daasebere Boamah Darko II Park.
Basake Holy Stars will attempt to recover from their heavy defeat to Medeama when they host Berekum Chelsea at the Ampain AAK II Sports Arena.
Aduana FC will welcome Swedru All Blacks to the Nana Agyemang Badu I Park after producing one of the weekend’s most notable results last Sunday.
At the Kpando Stadium, Heart of Lions will host FC AshantiGold ’04 in another meeting between sides coming off victories.
FC Samartex 1996 will meanwhile welcome Young Apostles FC to the Nsenkyire Sports Arena, with the home side seeking to maintain their unbeaten start to the campaign.
By Enoch Ntiamoah Siaw
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Tuesday, September 29, 2026 would go into the annals of Ghana football as one of the darkest days for the Black Stars.
In an AFCON 2027 qualifier against The Gambia, the Black Stars did not only break the hearts of the fans, but conceded a defeat that left followers with sleepless nights.
Coming from a Matchday 1 defeat to the Elephants of La Cote d’Ivoire in Bouake, the outcome of the second game against The Gambia was one that was non-negotiable.
It had the ability to spark a revival to contend for one of the slots for the next AFCON showpiece.
The Gambia is a formidable side but definitely, not one to have frustrated Ghanaians to watch in pain and awe the Black Stars lose a game from a winning position.
That is a possibility in the game of football but when the stakes are high in such cases, it becomes unacceptable to the fans.
And grievously has Carlos Queiroz answered the massive call for his resignation.
At his post-match press conference, he made it clear that bowing out was the easiest decision but insisted that would not solve the myriad problems facing the Black Stars.
For the coach to be fired two days after that declaration raises a lot of concerns as he seem to be aware of existing problems the FA may even not know.
Unfortunately, coaches over the years have always been sacrificial lambs in situations of this nature but when he talks about particular problems affecting the team, his sack leaves much to be desired.
That aside, it is important to also take another look at the country’s pool of players, both local and foreign based.
Some of us have been advocates for forming the Black Stars around the ever-present local players who may lack the skill, finesse and flamboyance believed to give the foreign based players the edge over their local counterparts.
The locals, however, compensate that with their commitment and dedication.
Sadly, it appears this consistent call have fallen on deaf ears and no one wants to give any attention to that.
If the fear is that results would be poor, then that would be no excuse again following outcomes of the Stars in their last two games.
From what was witnessed in Bouake and Accra, one can confidently boast that there isn’t much difference between the foreign based players and the locals.
If there is any, it would probably be the treatment given to the two sets of players.
The call on the FA now is to give major consideration to the local players. Any coach that sees no good in the local players must have no business handling the national team.
That does not also shut the door on the ‘foreigners’. We witnessed how the early 90s teams were beautifully blended to have a formidable team.
It is time the FA goes back to the basics. With the locals, there can be more camps, leading to improved cohesion. Any foreign based player invited must settle into the team quickly and make a difference. That is the only way to rescue the Black Stars from its free fall.
By Andrew Nortey
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