Rio Olympics: Mediocrity And Lack Of Vision Cost Ghana

This morning, just like every other, I turned on the TV to keep myself updated with news making the waves in sports after I retired to bed last night.

On DSTV’s sports news channel, Blitz, there was news on Team South Africa’s heroes’ welcome back home after a successful Rio Olympic Games campaign.

For moments, I was in a trance. Exactly what was going on in my immediate surroundings, I do not remember but, I vividly recall pondering why as strong a sports nation with appreciable standards, my beloved Ghana has opted with conviction, to celebrate mediocrity!

As Team SA prepared and were set to depart for Brazil, the state, through Sport and Recreation Minister, Mr Fikile Mbalula, set them (Athletes) an unofficial target of bringing back home, ten (10) medals.

But as all great and ambitious athletes – who want to leave their footprints in the sands of time – do, they pushed themselves, accepted the challenge and achieved what the nation unofficially set them to. However, “unrealistic” a target it was at first thought.

Team Ghana on the other hand, had started preparations towards the games like the lazy pupil, who will wait until the eleventh hour to spend dedicated time behind his books to prepare for an exam, in the hope of being counted among the excellent.

 

Weeks after the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) president, Professor Francis Dodoo was celebrating young swimmer, Kaya Adwoa Forson’s achievement of making a personal best time finish that didn’t qualify her from the heat, Team China had a ready-made winner in their camp; a 16-year-old diver [Ren Qian], who won gold.

Janet Amponsah, Sean Safo-Antwi, Emmanuel Dasor, John Ampomah, Alex Amankwah, Flings Owusu-Agyapong, Gemma Acheampong, Beatrice Gyaman, Szandra Szogedi, Dorcas Gyima, Abeku Gyekye Jackson, Abdul Omar, Kaya Adwoa Forson and Christian Amoah, all took their turns to attempt to fly high the nation’s flag, but just as the expected of a poorly-prepared student for an exam, they each FAILED to qualify from the heat.

PURPOSEFULNESS

The South African Olympic team for the Rio de Janeiro Games were 137 in number, 12 more than the 125 athletes who represented South Africa at the 2012 Olympics in London.

And South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) President, Gideon Sam, before the team’s

departure said; “It has been a long journey. We made it a point many years ago that this country can be a force to be reckoned with on the world stages of sport.

“We had to do something about it‚ and that was to say to ourselves ‘let us have a criteria that will enable us to do that’. It has not been easy and it is still not easy.”

The Sascoc chief executive, Tubby Reddy, who doubled as the country’s Chef de Mission also added; “Preparations for the athletes started immediately after London 2012. We launched the ‘Operation Excellence’ program to help prepare athletes to get to this stage.

“South Africa‚ these are the men and women who will wear the green and gold‚ and go out to Rio and represent us well”, the Sascoc president added.

MEDIOCRE STANDARDS

Interestingly, in SHARP contrast, the President of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC), Professor Francis Dodoo, in a speech before Team Ghana departed for Rio said; “The current Ghana Olympics squad, comprises young athletes, with an average age of 22 years. We believe exposure at the Rio Olympics will develop them further to make a bigger impact in 2020.

“We also have the fastest female 100 metres quartet in Africa who have recorded the fastest time ever. All of these mean that we have a great future.”

In similar fashion, the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports, Nii Lantey Vanderpuije, in a post-Rio interview, admitted Team Ghana’s contingent were only sent to the Olympics to ‘gain exposure’. Reeeeaaallly?

BAFFLING

Lest I forget, whatever happened to Martha Bissah? Why wasn’t she at the Olympics? Did another athlete out-shine her? Or her being left out was pure sabotage? Where is she anyways?

 
LAURELS

The total medal haul saw Kenya ranked 15th in total and led the African countries with a total of 13 – 6 (gold), 6 (silver) and 1 (bronze), whilst South Africa finished 30th overall and sat in second place [African ranking] with 10 medals in total – 2 (gold) 6 (silver) and 2 (bronze).

There is no debate on the description of the performance -in one word- of Ghana’s Olympic contingent; i.e. DISGRACEFUL!!

My thinking is that, the GOC, in collaboration with the various sports federations, can remedy the horrific outing at Rio 2016 with an improved and purposeful campaign at Tokyo 2020.

 

If they can set aside their differences and personal egos to work at preparing the athletes NOW to win medals at Olympic games rather than encourage the pursuit of ‘personal best times’, sports journos would be writing more exciting stories about Ghana’s campaign in 2020.

It is important to bear in mind that the biggest stage of athletics is not meant for the short-sighted who subscribe to mediocre standards!

…I’ll be back!!!

Rio Olympics: Mediocrity And Lack Of Vision Cost Ghana

Swimming Federation Blasts GOC

Theophilus Wilson, President of the Ghana Swimming Federation, has lashed out at the Professor Francis Dodoo-led Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) for negligence, as members of the team that travelled to represent team Ghana at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games did not include any official of the federation.

Administrators of the less-financed sports have been vocal about the GOC’s “nepotism and favouritism” in their selection of officials to represent their federation.

And Wilson, who was a victim of the GOC’s “unfair selection”, has questioned why the federation’s officials were left behind, even though their presence would have been valuable to the progress of the athletes.

“Olympics is a festival that engulfs many other things – presidents (Olympic Committee heads) seminars, Ministers heads, Local Organising Committee (LOC) seminars, Chef de Mason seminars, General secretary seminars and all these sessions are very important to the development and growth of the athletes to make them medal-winning ones as such,” he told Accra based, Radio Gold.

“Are we serious as a nation? What has been the plan of the Ghana Olympic Committee for the past four years to all the federations? The excuse from the Prof. Dodoo-led administration has been ‘no money’, true though, but the World Olympic Committee sent the money. A whopping USD720,000 is with the GOC and team Ghana now, but how many federation presidents are there now?”

Ghana has been woeful at the on-going Olympic games with no medal won yet.

Swimming Federation Blasts GOC

Rio Olympic Games: Ghana Teen Swimmer Hopeful of Medal

Young Ghana swimmer, Abeiku Jackson, has expressed his readiness to make his mark at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil.

16-year-old Jackson, is heading to Brazil to compete in the blue riband 50m freestyle along with Kaya Forson, a 14-year-old based in Spain.

 

And Abeiku, speaking to the media before the team departed Ghana for Brazil, revealed that, he had been training extra to get the best out of himself and hopefully, win a medal for the country.

“I’m very prepared, even though there’s enormous pressure. I’ve been in this situation before [being under pressure], training six times in a week, twice a day – Two hours of intense training, it’s very tough but nonetheless I’m prepared.

“Everyone targets advancing beyond the heat and so am I. Knowing I’ll drop my time and my personal best for that matter, I’m committed to doing my best,” he added.

Abeiku could not meet the Olympics qualifying time but managed a ticket on the universality system.

Rio Olympic Games: Ghana Teen Swimmer Hopeful of Medal

GOC Signs Partnership Agreement With Cocoa From Ghana

The Ghana Olympic Committee and Cocoa from Ghana on Thursday signed a partnership agreement ahead of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

The agreement brings together the umbrella body of the Olympic Movement in Ghana and one of the major players in the cocoa production business in the world.

Together, the two organisations aim to project the proud values of the country by investing in its youth using sports and cocoa production as tools for development.

As an Olympic body, the GOC seeks to develop and protect the Olympic Movement in Ghana, and to promote the ideals of the Commonwealth Games in accordance with the Olympic Charter and the Constitution of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF).

The agreement will be a massive boost to the efforts of the local Olympic governing body which has been using sports to positively impact the lives of Ghanaians and build career paths for hardworking sportsmen and women over the years.

The GOC President Prof. Francis Dodoo expressed his excitement about the new partnership and indicated that he thought the relationship was well-placed because, given the youthfulness of Ghana’s new generation of athletes in the various sports and the newness of the Cocoa for Ghana (CfG) brand, he could see Ghana’s performances and the CfG brand rising together over the next few years.

He also thought the opportunity for Ghanaian athletes to market a commodity that has been so historically integral to Ghana’s development was such a wonderful opportunity for the athletes to give back to our beautiful country.

Cocoa from Ghana is a Dutch based organisation desirous of projecting the image of Ghana by marketing the country’s cocoa to the outside world.

The General Manager of Cocoa from Ghana expressed his delight at the agreement.

Background:

The GOC’s primary role is as the sole authorized party to lead Team Ghana to the Commonwealth and Olympic Games.

The current GOC administration has played a leading role in sports development in Ghana.

Working through Olympic Solidarity, the GOC has invested over $1,000,000 into Sports development in Ghana since 2012.

Over two hundred people made up of athletes, coaches, journalists and administrators have directly benefited from training programmes embarked upon by the GOC through the Olympic Solidarity since 2012.

The training programmes included Technical Courses for Coaches, Sports Administration Courses, Coaching Development Scholarships, Athlete Development Scholarships, Preparation Grants for Teams attending major competitions like the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games and African Youth Games.

GOC Signs Partnership Agreement With Cocoa From Ghana

Dan-deVan and Firm Bridge Communications Ltd Presents Cheque to Paralympics Committee

Dan-deVan Group of Companies in partnership with Firm Bridge Communications Limited, have presented a cheque for GHC 21,874, to the National Paralympics Committee (NPC), ahead of the Paralympic Games, slated for Rio in Brazil, later in the year.

Dan-deVan in consultation with Ghana’s versatile rapper Okyeame Kwame, staged a concert at the Plus 233 Pub, in Accra, to raise funds for the team as part of their cooperate social responsibility.

The money was to help support the National Para Athletes in their qualifiers and also to partake in this year’s Paralympic Ganes.

The chairman for Dan-DeVan Group of companies, Mr. Daniel Mensah said “the mandate was given to my company to help solicit for funds for our para athletes for their qualifies and as well as Rio 2016. We had a collaboration with Okyeame Kwame to help and we are here today to present to you, how much we have raised so far”.

The president of the NPC, Bishop Cornelius Adja-Coffie said “this is a novelty for para-sports and we are grateful for using music to raise funds for our athletes.

He said this would go a long way to touch the hearts of people to help these less fortunate ones adding that, “I believe strongly that what you have done for this special group is more of a social sacrifice to Dan-deVan and Okyeame Kwame and his Firm Bridges foundation.

Firm Bridges Communications Limited also urged cooperate organisations and individuals to honour their pledges made to support the team and called on other bodies to also come to the aid of the para athletes team to lift the flag of Ghana high.

Dan-deVan and Firm Bridge Communications Ltd Presents Cheque to Paralympics Committee

Ghanaian Boxer Praises GOC

Ghana’s Rio Olympic bound Bantamweight boxer, Abdul Wahid Omar, has heaped praise on the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) for assisting him to qualify for the multi-sport event.

Wahid qualified to the Olympic games through a scholarship programme and this in addition to GOCs able assistance during the qualifiers in Cameroon ensured the young boxer booked a place in the Olympic later this year.

The 22-year old in an interview with Sportscrusader.com mentioned that “the GOC has helped him especially financially to rise to the level he is today.”

“Yes indeed hard work pays but the resource to help to ensure the dream becomes a reality is equally vital and this I praise the GOC for what they did and continually do though it’s not their core duty,” he added.

Ghanaian Boxer Praises GOC

GOC Has Faith In Volleyball Team

Deputy General Secretary of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC), Rev. Richmond Quarcoo, has said his outfit has faith in the national women Volleyball team.

The volleyball team left Ghana for Abuja, Nigeria for Africa’s Olympic qualification in Rio later this year with the GOC once again coming to the aid of another federation that needed financial assistance in their quest to seal qualification.

The Ghana Volley ball team that left for Abuja for Olympic qualifiers

Rev. Quarcoo in an interview with Sportscrusader.com acknowledged the enviable development and growth being chalked by the volleyball team and as such the GOC deemed it fit to throw in their weight though this isn’t their responsibility.

He said, “the volleyball team for some time now has been impressive and we deemed it fit to help them as we have done with the other disciplines, though it is not our duty we are ready to help.”

He added, “it is our little token to aid their qualification as we try to improve upon the number of qualified athletes to the Games.”

GOC Has Faith In Volleyball Team

Ghanaian Boxer Books Olympic Qualification

Ghanaian flyweight boxer Abdul Omar Wahid has qualified for the summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil according to the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC).

Omar initially made it to the semi finals at the African qualifiers in Yaounde, Cameroon, but failed to win his bout there, which thwarted his chance of qualifying.

In total, all nine boxers from Ghana failed to qualify during that tourney.

Nevertheless, the country now has something to smile about after the Ghana Amateur Boxing Federation (GABF) received a letter from AIBA.

“Last Sunday we received a letter from AIBA informing us that Omar Wahid has qualified for Rio after their review of the last qualifiers held in Yaounde,” GABF President Gideon Quartey confirmed to Bukomboxingnews.com.

“We were even expecting two qualifiers because at the qualifiers Azumah Mohammed went to the semi finals but he failed to win his bout, so we are waiting for another letter from AIBA. But I think all the same it is a good news for Ghana.”

Regarding the Black Bombers preparations ahead of the Baku final qualifier, Quartey said, “We started non-residential camping last Monday. The boxers are currently training at the Accra Sports Stadium. The Federation will be meeting the coaches for a proper program ahead of the event”.

Ghanaian Boxer Books Olympic Qualification

GOC Congratulate Ghanaian Athlete On Rio Qualification

The Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) has congratulated Ghanaian athlete, Abdul Wahid Omar on his quota qualification to the Olympic games in Rio, Brazil this year.

The Rio 2016 scholarship holder, Omar was offered a quota place for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games after placing third in the bantamweight division (56kg) at the recent African Olympic Qualifiers in Cameroon.

The GOC in their excitement has taken to the committee’s Facebook wall to congratulate the young athlete.

“Rio 2016 scholarship holder Abdul Wahid Omar has been offered a quota place for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games after placing third in the bantamweight division (56kg) at the recent African Olympic Qualifiers in Cameroon. It brings to five the number of athletes who have qualified for the Olympic Games.”

And his qualification brings to five the number of athletes who have qualified for the Olympic Games.

GOC Congratulate Ghanaian Athlete On Rio Qualification

Ghana Beach Volley Team Leave For Olympic Qualification

The national beach volleyball female team left Accra for Abuja, Nigeria to take part in an African Continental Olympic qualifier.

The delegation that left Accra for Nigeria’s capital Lagos was made up of four players and four officials under the sponsorship of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC).

The Players: Martha Korkoe Bavon, Gloria Addai, Gifty Adedze and Patricia Habada and the team Officials are, Paul Atchoe- President, Christiana Ashley, Moro Mumuni and Bright Abletor.

They will be seeking to book a ticket to Rio 2016 later in the year.

Ghana has been struggling to increase her slots at the multiple sport event but without success.

Ghana Beach Volley Team Leave For Olympic Qualification

GOC Hold Confab On Rio Olympics Preparations

The Ghana Olympic Committee held its first Executive Board Meeting of the year to discuss Ghana’s preparations for Rio 2016 on Thursday, 7th April, 2016 at the GOC Conference Room.

The nation is struggling to make the numbers for athletes to qualify as recently the national boxing team, the Black Bombers failed to win at least a slot in qualifying competition in Cameroon.

GOC Conference on Ghana’s preparation to Rio 2016

GOC Conference on Ghana’s preparation to Rio 2016

GOC President, Professor Francis Dodoo chaired the conference on Ghana’s preparation to Rio 2016

GOC Conference on Ghana’s preparation to Rio 2016

Ghana has just two athletes qualified for the track and field events and the GOC will hope the bombers take full advantage, prepare well and qualify with their second and only remaining chance of qualifying to Rio 2016 in Azerbaijan.

Among other things, the meeting discussed the qualification of athletes, accreditation and the appointment of an Authorised Ticket Reseller for the Games.

GOC Hold Confab On Rio Olympics Preparations

Black Bombers Camp In Readiness For Rio 2016 Qualifiers

The Ghana amateur boxers nicknamed – Black Bombers are currently in a non-residential camping as the race to qualify for the Olympic games in Brazil, Rio 2016.

 

The athletes are scheduled to travel to participate in Olympic qualifiers with 10 male boxers and 2-female boxers have been grouped to participate in the qualifiers as Ghana aims for gold at the event.

Ghana Amateur Boxing Federation president, Gideon Quartey admitted preparations for the boxers are well outlined and planned as they gear up for qualifying competition and hopefully the main event in Rio.

 

But speaking to sportscrusader.com, the president opined what he believes is the total neglect of the sport by the National Sports Authority (NSA) and the Ministry of Youth and sports (MOYS) and this act is gradually destroying interest in boxing.

 

“It’s sad nobody cares about boxing; the boxers are training but their camping is a non-residential one. These are athletes who are going there to represent the nation (Ghana) and it is sad,” he told sportscrusader.com

 

“It is so sad going for an Olympic qualifier and the boxers feel neglected as if no one cares. It happened last year when the boxers were preparing to travel to Casablanca (Morocco), we had our budget slashed and we were forced to improvise and seek late sponsorship deals,” he added.

Black Bombers Camp In Readiness For Rio 2016 Qualifiers

GOC Organises Course For Sports Discipline In Readiness For Rio 2016

The 2016 edition of the Ghana Olympics committee powered ‘sports for all course’ will get underway on Monday at the Winneba sports college.  The event which is a collaboration between the GOC and the sports hall federation with financially sourcing from the Olympic solidarity will be the first held in the new year – 2016.

 

The course which will be entering into phase 2 after phase 1 was completed successfully for the administrators, ex-athletes who have their interest in taekwando. The sports course brings together individuals,athletes – both current and retired and administrators under one roof to help promote the various disciplines professionally as the revised rules and regulations to the game is thought.

 

The deputy general secretary of the Ghana Olympics committee, Rev. Quarcoo spoke of the committee’s preparedness to get underway after hosting a successful one in December, 2015 for tennis, weight-lifting and taekwando.

 

In an interview with sportscrusader.com, Rev. Quarcoo said,”the main aim of the course is giving proper technical-know how to some old athletes who want to go into coaching. That hunger and zeal is the driving force behind GOCs oragnisation of the courses.”

 

“If the technical instructor lacks the technical knowledge on which training regime is right for the athlete you know what the end result will be, he added.

 

The sports course will last a duration of 6-days beginning Monday 8th February and end on Sunday 14th February.

GOC Organises Course For Sports Discipline In Readiness For Rio 2016

Ghana projects record breaking 25 athletes for Rio 2016

Ghana’s Rio 2016 Chef de Mission has projected that the country will be represented by a record-breaking 25 athletes at this year’s Olympic Games in Rio, Brasil.

Chris Essilfie, Chef De Mission of Team Ghana at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games said in an interview that “We‘re still hoping to qualify more and if there are funds to do that we could qualify more athletes to the Games”.

He added that, “After meeting with the Federation’s heads and listening to what they have on paper, it is clear we are going to qualify at least 25 athletes to the Games.”

Essilfie was confirmed as Ghana’s Chef de Mission in August of last year having been appointed to the same role at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Ghana won two bronze medals at Glasgow 2014; Razak Abugiri in the men’s 60 kilogram judo competition and Abdul Omar in the men’s flyweight boxing tournament.

The country made its Olympic debut at Helsinki in 1952 and has won a total of four medals, a silver and three bronzes.

Its last medal came at Barcelona in 1992 when its men’s football team won bronze.

Ghana won two gold medals at last year’s African Games in Brazzaville through Wisdom Na Ajdrago and George Darko in the men’s doubles tennis, and its women’s football team, who beat Cameroon 1-0 in the final.

If Chris Essilfie’s prediction comes to fruition, it will comfortably break the West African nation’s record of nine athletes sent to both Beijing 2008 and London 2012.

Ghana projects record breaking 25 athletes for Rio 2016