Sports
Let’s end the joke with sports
Identifying and writing about the problems bedeviling Ghana sports has become one hell of a task for a number of industry workers.
Talking or writing about them creates a feeling of laziness because one sounds monotonous or repetitive; this is because the problems or concerns expressed for the past years are same as those hunting us now.
And it looks as if no one cares about addressing these concerns and because they are seasonal, it is assumed that the noise will stop with time.
With writers and commentators, theytend to give up at the risk of being labeled political dogs hunting officials or a government in power; forgetting that those problems transcends respective governments.
This season of the Olympic Games has exposed us once again, bringing to the fore teething problems that must be addressed once and for all, and since it is about athletics, it has generated all the debate.
It is true Ghana presented one of the smallest teams at the festival because of qualification struggles, affecting psyche and morale of Ghanaians ahead of the competition.
However, there is every reason to be disappointed about the way our campaign ended, knowing that with the right preparations, the team could have done better.
The two swimmers exited after their respective first heats but Benjamin Azamati and Abdul-Rasheed Saminu momentarily made Ghanaians happy after placing second and third respectively in their heats.
In the subsequent heats, Azamati placed last (ninth) with Saminu ending in seventh position to end their campaigns in the Men 100m event.
The biggest heartbreak was the performance of Rose Amoaniwaa Yeboah in female high jump.
Talking of an athlete who joined the University of Illinois for the 2023/24 collegiate season and won the American National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) outdoor high jump national title with a 1.97m jump, her poor performance at the meet beats the imagination of many.
No wonder, report from the team’s camp suggested she was left broken.
That raises question marks about the kind of preparation athletes gets before participating in such championships.
This is an athlete that can easily be compared to the current kid on the block, Julien Alfred, from St Lucia who silenced the supposed ‘owners’ of female sprints.
From a country without athletics tracks and other equipment, she travelled to Jamaica on scholarship and continued to the States under similar circumstances as Amoaniwaa got the same platform and showed their skills.
What separates the two is the support for Julien from the state of St. Lucia and the non-existent support from Ghana for Amoaniwaa.
Julien travels around with a diplomatic passport and enjoys regular budgetary support from the tiny Saint Lucia island country of the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean.
With this support, Julien is able to participate in some of the major championships around the world that allows her to compete with top athletes.
With this exposure, she will not crumble under the pressure of performing in front of the mammoth crowd that watched the athletics event at the Olympics.
The problem of Azamati and others who have performed under the flag of Ghana is not so different from Amoaniwaa’sfunding.
One thing has become limpidly clear is that these Ghanaian athletes that travel on scholarships perform at their optimum best when they are in school because they get the chance to participate in the NCAA championships.
They also get the chance to train with the best facilities and under some of the finest coaches around.
But all those privileges would cease the moment they graduate and have to keep their careers going on their own. In such instances, these athletes would have to start work to fend for themselves and in so doing, it begins to affect their performances.
At this crucial stages, what they need to stay competitive is a kind of support from the government, if indeedit considers sports as one of its priorities.
Politicians have spoken on sports as a tool for unity and a job creation avenue but over the years, it has proven to be a mere gimmick because they are just not committed to it.
Otherwise why would such pertinent problems rear the head at every international competition but nothing is done about it.
It beats one’s imagination when athletes even wait for longer periods to receive per diems for competitions. They don’t also get support as training allowances and are left on their own regarding participation in major championships.
In spite of this, Sports Ministers and government officialsmuster the moral right to urge them to win medals to raise the flag of Ghana.
How can these athletes perform to raise Ghana’s flaghigh on the world stage when some have to drive Uber and train in the afternoon or sell Ice Cream and hit the gym in the afternoon? It is time to sit up as a country and seek a better understanding of sports administration if indeed we want to reap the full benefits of it.
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
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
