Sports

A call to save Ghana sports

• 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

Sports

Aduana can cause more problems for Kotoko

“Getting back to the top of the table is difficult but not impossible, and it’s not over until the end.”

These were the words of newly appointed Technical Director/Interim Head Coach of Kumasi Asante Kotoko, Karim Zito Kabutey, as he gets ready to lead his charges against Aduana Stars at the Baba Yara Stadium tomorrow.

Supporters of the Porcupine Warriors have the belief that the league title is within reach and are supporting coach Zito to give it his best shot beginning from the game tomorrow.

Kotoko currently occupy the fourth position on the league log with 47 points, six points shy of leaders, Bibiani Gold Stars, while Aduana lie 10th with 38 points.

Games between the Porcupine Warriors and the ‘Ogya’ Boys have left fans at the edge of their seats, and tomorrow’s game will be no exception.

Kotoko recorded a 2-0 away win in Dormaa in the first round against the then-struggling Dormaa side; however, with the coming of Romanian coach, Cioaba Aristica, a lot has changed since then, and tomorrow’s game will not be a walk in the park for the home side.

Coach Aristica, ahead of the game, believes Aduana is too good a team to be languishing in mid-table and hopes to lift them on the log beginning with tomorrow’s game.

League leaders Bibiani Gold Stars will trek to the Nii Adjei Kraku II Sports Complex in Tema to play as guests of Vision FC.

With their title aspiration firmly in their hands, the Bibiani Boys will be motivated to hold their own against the Tema lads, who will need to play above themselves if they are to pick at least a point from this game.

Today at the Accra Sports Stadium, Accra Lions will welcome Bechem United in a must-win game for the host if they are to keep alive any realistic chances of avoiding relegation.

At 6pm, under the lights at the TNA Stadium in Tarkwa, Medeama SC will host Young Apostles.

In other games tomorrow, Legon Cities play Heart of Lions at the Tuba Astro Turf, Karela United will stay put at the Aliu Mahama Stadium in Tamale to host Dreams FC, while Berekum Chelsea will host Nations FC at the Golden City Park.

Defending champions, Samartex FC, will face off with neighbours, Basake Holy Stars, at the Nsenkyire Sports Arena.

Sports

Overcoming sponsorship fatigue in sports

Mr Kofi Adams

Speaking to top sports administrators in Ghana over the innumerable challenges facing sports administration, one concern rings across, and that is sponsorship.

Sponsorship, the world over is the backbone of sports development and promotion.

A federation or major sanctioning bodies may have the most skillful hands in terms of personnel but without sponsorship, their plans would remain stuck in their books.

Federations with huge budgets and fat sponsorship deals like football, athletics etc, are touted as the most successful federations.

It is not always the case that those below that level lacked qualified personnel to plan; the truth is that without sponsorship, no discipline can rival the likes of football and athletics for example.

It is a global challenge; Ghana is no exception.

Fact is, a number of the sports federations here have failed to break out due to the lack of sponsorship deals and the truth is that, they may not be able to reach certain heights without it.

Barely six months in office as Sports and Recreation Minister, Mr Kofi Iddi Adams, has identified this huge funding gap and has been encouraging companies to partner government to develop sports.

During a visit to the Borteyman Sports Complex to watch an International Tennis Federation (ITF) juniors event, Mr Adams urged the private sector players to be involved in the organisation of sports in the country because government alone cannot shoulder that responsibility.

“Public-Private-Partnerships is one sure way to sustain such essential developmental initiatives and I believe the coming on board of more corporate bodies would help in that light,” Mr Adams said during his interaction with the media during the visit.As an ardent follower of sports, that is surely the way to go in the wake of what appeared a sponsorship fatigue among the private sector partners.

In the past, companies like Mobil Ghana, Nestle Ghana Limited, Ghana Brewery Limited and many others became so synonymous with sports as a result of their connection to the industry.

Through Mobil’s support for athletics, Ghana produced a lot of great athletes that performed at the highest stage of the sport while Nestle with its Milo brand helped unearth long distant runners through the Milo Marathon organised by the Dansoman Keep Fit Club and the Milo championship for tennis.

When they exited, other companies filled their shoes but sadly, those relationships have not been sustained and over the years, they have gone into hibernation.

Sponsorships of this nature are huge financial drains on these corporate sector players and for that matter, such calls does not produce the harmonious notes they want to hear.

Most of these companies that have expressed interest in partnering government in that direction have also complained about economic challenges and the absence of tax rebates.

From this, one gathers that there is the need for a common ground or some compromise for the sports sector to begin to attract these companies.

Sports no doubt has become a big business, providing varied platforms for a lot of the youth to get their daily bread and also, feed their families.

Obviously with the numbers it commands, it should be easier to attract the corporate sector support but since they are not coming, it’s clearly shows that there is a missing link.

This is the reason why the Minister of Sports and Recreation’s call for the involvement of the corporate sector must not be a rhetoric just as it has been with previous ministers that occupied the role.

This should be the time to walk the talk. Efforts must be made to identify some of these organisation with the wherewithal to support, get to know their frustrations with sports and why they shy away.

It would also be appropriate to know their expectation in such partnerships so that a win-win situation would be achieved at the end of the day.

From the side of the sports administrators, they must prove their professional capabilities and run the federations transparently to erase doubts about their operations.

By Andrew Nortey