Sports
‘Don’t ignore athletes in covid-19 times’
Former Chairman of the Ghana Athletics Association (GAA), Mr George Haldane-Lutterodt has asked sports federation heads to support athletes in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic which has rendered athletes inactive.
According to Mr Lutterodt, the athletes could not be left alone in such crucial moments when they required financial and other logistical support to train and keep fit as they wait for sporting activities to resume.
“This is the moment they need their leaders to support them. We cannot leave them to struggle for survival and expect them to come back strongly and compete for the nation,” he stated.
Apart from the Ghana Weightlifting Federation (GWF) and the Ghana Bodybuilding and Fitness Association (GBFA), none of the over 40 other federations have provided any form of support to their respective athletes despite the unbearable conditions of the athletes courtesy COVID-19.
Government, he said, has done well to offer support across the board but charged federation heads to be proactive and go to the aid of their athletes in order to get the best out of them after the pandemic.
In view of this, the former GAA capo has set a sports fund to help athletes in need and has contributed GH¢15,000 as seed money for the special fund to support the athletes.
“They need help and this is my own small way of assisting. The Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC), federation heads and other stakeholders must come on board to support the athletes,” he stated.
Some athletes, he said, might not be able to return to sports after the pandemic because they have been left destitute.
Going forward, he said football, for example, should be able to resume in a month’s time but behind closed doors.
“This is what we call the ‘new normal’. Sports can resume under very strict health supervision and circumstances otherwise, we would wait forever,” he stated.
He urged the GOC and the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MoYS) to also set up a special fund for athletes.
He advised athletes to remain safe and continue training while respecting social distancing protocols as they wait for the pandemic to end.
BY MICHAEL D. ABAYATEYE
The battle for supremacy in the Ghana Premier League will continue this weekend with both Medeama SC and Bibiani Gold Stars continuing their close battle for the title.
Defending champions, Bibiani Gold Stars, are breathing down heavily on the neck of the leaders Medeama SC as they aim to hunt down the Premier League leaders from the top.
Fresh from their 2-1 home victory over in-form Hearts of Oak, which saw them cut the lead at the top to just one, Gold Stars will travel to the Bono Region, precisely the Wenchi Sports Complex, to test their mettle against relegation candidate, Young Apostles.
Gold Stars are on a four-game winning streak, having blown apart Swedru All Blacks, Basake Holy Stars, Heart of Lions and Hearts of Oak, and are gunning to add Apostles to their list of casualties tomorrow.
Apostles, the last but one team on the log, have vowed to escape the drop, indicating their resolve to wrest a point or more in the game.
Medeama SC returns to their fortress, the TnA Stadium, to host Hohoe United in a tricky tie.
Head coach of Medeama SC, Tanko Ibrahim, believes they are still on course to win the title despite the threat from Gold Stars.
Vision FC will look to continue their strong home form when they welcome relegation-threatened Berekum Chelsea to the Nii Adjei Kraku Sports Complex in Tema New Town today with the Nsenkyire Sports Arena in Samreboi, also hosting the Samartex FC versus Dreams FC clash today.
In other games, the University of Ghana Stadium will play host to the Hearts of Oak versus Basake Holy Stars game; Asante Kotoko will trek to the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium in Tamale to face Karela United FC; Aduana FC will seek to add to the woes of bottom club, Eleven Wonders, at the Nana Agyemang Badu I Park with Heart of Lions seeking a return to winning ways when they host Swedru All Blacks at the Kpando Stadium.
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
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The battle for supremacy in the Ghana Premier League will continue this weekend with both Medeama SC and Bibiani Gold Stars maintaining their close contest for the title.
Defending champions, Bibiani Gold Stars, are breathing down heavily on the leaders Medeama SC as they aim to hunt down the Premier League leaders from the top.
Fresh from their 2-1 home victory over in-form Hearts of Oak, which saw them cut the lead at the top to just one point, Gold Stars will travel to the Bono Region, precisely the Wenchi Sports Complex, to test their mettle against relegation candidates, Young Apostles.
Gold Stars are on a four-game winning streak, having defeated Swedru All Blacks, Basake Holy Stars, Heart of Lions, and Hearts of Oak. They are gunning to add Apostles to their list of casualties tomorrow.
Apostles, the second-last team on the log, have vowed to escape the drop, indicating their resolve to wrest a point or more in the game.
Medeama SC returns to their fortress, the TnA Stadium, to host Hohoe United in what promises to be a tricky tie. Head coach Tanko Ibrahim believes they are still on course to win the title despite the threat from Gold Stars.
Other Premier League Fixtures:
- Vision FC will look to continue their strong home form when they welcome relegation-threatened Berekum Chelsea to the Nii Adjei Kraku Sports Complex in Tema New Town.
- The Nsenkyire Sports Arena in Samreboi will host the Samartex FC vs Dreams FC clash.
- University of Ghana Stadium will play host to Hearts of Oak vs Basake Holy Stars.
- Asante Kotoko will trek to the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium in Tamale to face Karela United FC.
- Aduana FC will seek to add to the woes of bottom club Eleven Wonders at the Nana Agyemang Badu I Park.
- Heart of Lions will aim for a return to winning ways when they host Swedru All Blacks at the Kpando Stadium.
- By Raymond Ackumey
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