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
Sports
Kurt E.S Okraku elected CAF Executive Committee member
The President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, has been successfully elected as a member of the Executive Committee (EXCO) of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The four-year term runs from 2025-2029.
The President, who was elected uncontested, joins the 24-member committee of the powerful body of the continent’s governing body.
Kurt Okraku’s election to the CAF Executive Committee comes as recognition of his remarkable leadership at the Football Association, where he has worked to rejuvenate Ghanaian football since taking office in 2019.
His efforts to enhance transparency, promote grassroots football, women’s football and focus on youth development have been well noted within the African football community.
With Ghana’s strong footballing tradition and legacy, the presence of the GFA boss on the CAF EXCO is seen as an opportunity to advance the interests of the country and help promote football development across Africa.
Mr. Okraku’s role will give Ghana a stronger voice in the decision-making processes that shape the future of football on the continent.
President Simeon-Okraku becomes the sixth Ghanaian to serve on the CAF Executive Committee in a list that includes Ohene Djan, Kobina Hagan, Nana Fredua Mensah, Samuel Okyere, and Kwesi Nyantakyi.
Sports
GFA concludes training of Club Safety and Security Officers and Regional Sports Security Officers
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has successfully concluded its training program for Club Safety and Security Officers (CSSOs) and Regional Sports Security Officers (RSSOs).
This comprehensive training, which took place from March 7 to March 10, 2025, aimed to throw more light on the enhance safety and security measures across Ghanaian football.
The training was conducted zonally, covering all 86 elite clubs and 16 regions. Participants were divided into three zones, with Zone 2 covering the Ashanti, Western, Western North, and Central Regions, and Zones 1 and 3 covering the remaining regions.
The training modules included:
Challenges of Safety and Security in Ghana: Identifying and addressing key safety and security concerns in Ghanaian football.
Roles of the Club Safety and Security Officer (CSSO) and collaboration with Regional Safety and Security Officers (RSSO): Defining the roles and responsibilities of CSSOs and RSSOs, and promoting effective collaboration between them.
Club Safety and Security Officer Checklist: Providing a comprehensive checklist for CSSOs to ensure that all safety and security protocols are in place.
Introduction to the Enhanced Safety and Security Protocols 2025: Introducing new safety and security protocols aimed at improving safety and security at match venues.
Practicum and scenario session: Providing hands-on training and scenario-based exercises to prepare participants for real-world safety and security challenges.
The training workshop was led by DCOP Lydia Donkor, Chairperson of the Security Committee. Others included Capt (Rtd) Nick Owusu, Vice Chairman of the Safety Committee, Julius Ben Emunah, Head of Competitions, John Ansah, Felix Bewu and Emmanuel Osei, members of the Safety and Security Committee.
This training is part of the GFA’s enhanced approach to ensuring improved safety and security at match venues across all competitions.
