FIFA Seeks "Good Solution" To Olympics

FIFA president Gianni Infantino wants to address the “sensitive issue” of football at the Olympics.

Brazil won the men’s tournament for the first time at Rio 2016, beating Germany at the Maracana Stadium.

However, while Infantino feels the women’s game has developed due to its inclusion in the Olympics, he says problems remain to be solved.

“The men’s game, which is primarily for under-23 players with a few added, is not a good solution,” Infantino said.

“The tournament is neither fish nor bird in this form. Also, the football calendar is too tight.”

Apart from 1896 and 1932, football has been in every summer Olympics, with the women’s tournament added in 1996.

Sixteen teams contested the men’s tournament in Brazil, with 12 sides in the women’s competition in which Germany beat Sweden in the final.

Following legal action by Barcelona, Werder Bremen and Schalke in 2008, clubs are no longer required to automatically release their players because the competition falls outside the recognised FIFA international calendar.

BBC

FIFA Seeks "Good Solution" To Olympics

Michael Phelps To Retire After Olympics

American swimming legend Michael Phelps says he does not intend to compete in another Olympics once Rio 2016 is over.

The 31-year-old, who has won 22 Olympic gold medals, quit after London 2012 only to reverse that decision in 2014.

“I’m not going four more years and I’m standing by that,” he insisted after finishing in a three-way tie for silver in the 100m butterfly final.

“I’ve been able to do everything I’ve ever put my mind to in the sport. I’m happy with how things finished.”

He added: “No more. This is it. I said it a bunch before. But I’m not doing it.

“I swore in London I wasn’t coming back and this is final. Were the papers here, I’d sign them tomorrow.”

However, team-mate Ryan Lochte thinks Phelps will be in Tokyo in 2020.

“I guarantee he will be there,” Lochte told NBC. “I think so. I really think so. So Michael, I’ll see you in Tokyo.”

Phelps can add to his Olympic tally in the 4x100m medley relay at 03:04 BST on Sunday.

“I’m happy,” added Phelps, who said he wanted to spend more time with newborn son Boomer and fiancee Nicole.

Phelps made his Olympic bow in 2000, winning his first gold in Athens in 2004. He has 27 Olympic medals in total, nine more than his closest rival.

BBC

Michael Phelps To Retire After Olympics

Rio 2016: Ghanaian Boxer to Begin Gold Chase on Thursday

Ghana’s sole Boxing representative at the Rio 2016 Olympics, Abdul Omar Wahid will begin his quest for a gold medal with a bout against Argentinian Melian Alberto Ezequiel on Thursday August 11, 2016.

The 23 year old boxer who least expected his qualification is set to make history in his first appearance at the World stage and he is feverishly preparing for the bout.

He came fourth at the African games in Yaonde and will be fighting in the bantamweight division.

Wahid’s contender Alerto Melian lost a bantamweight bout at the summer 2012 Olympics against Sergey Vodopyanov but however his qualification to this stage proves his capabilities.

In an interview ahead of team Ghana’s departure last week, Wahid’s Coach Larteyquaye Lartey expressed optimism that his athlete can bring back home a medal.

“We are going to perform. Wahid deserves to be at the Olympics because he has sacrificed a lot, from Morocco, Cameroon and Congo. He has so many injuries but he fought himself through. I know God will help him to get a medal.” he said.

The boxer also expressed high hopes of winning a medal at the global showpiece.

“It is very difficult to qualify for the Olympics and I know it’s a very big platform. I don’t care about anyone but I know they are all good boxers. I am just training hard to bring out the best in me.”

Rio 2016: Ghanaian Boxer to Begin Gold Chase on Thursday

Ghanaian Athletes Can"t Win Medals at Rio 2016- Former GAA Chief Coach

A former chief coach of the Ghana Athletics Association (GAA), Mr.  Albert Nukpezah has expressed doubt over the chances of the country’s track and field athletes ahead of the Rio 2016 Olympic games.  

According to him, all the Ghanaian Athletes who have qualified for the games fall way below the standards required to make the medal podium.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with SportsCrusader.com, Mr.  Nukpezah stated that, the athletes, despite qualifying for the Global showpiece, are only going there as mere participants and are not capable of winning anything.

“to be honest with you, we (team Ghana) are only going to represent in the games but medal-wise, we will do nothing”, he said, adding that, “Looking at the team, they are not adequately prepared. No camping, no motivation and all that and I don’t think we can do something meaningful at the games”.

Mr. Nukpezah further stated that The Ghana Olympics Committee (GOC), in the last four years, has not done enough to train athletes capable of winning laurels for the country.

He added that the GOC President, Professor Francis Dodoo should not remain at the helm of affairs, attributing Ghana’s poor preparations to the former Ghana athlete.

Ghanaian Athletes Can"t Win Medals at Rio 2016- Former GAA Chief Coach

Bolt Fires Rio Warning

Jamaican superstar, Usain Bolt, has fired an early warning to rivals ahead of the Rio Olympics with a by clinching gold in the London Anniversary Games.

The 29’year-old eased home inside the new Olympic Stadium in England with scary time of 19.08 seconds to lay the gauntlet ahead of his title defense.

The six-time Olympic Gold medalist breezed past Panama’s Alonso  Edward and Great Britain’s Adam Gemil to the ultimate trophy at the new West Ham stadium in London.

The celebrated athlete missed the Jamaican trials earlier this month due to injury fears, but a quick return to the lanes will come as good news to the Olympics family.

Bolt’s own personal record of 19.19 seconds remains a global record but his current form could again smash the figures when the Rio 200m grand finale kicks off.

The reigning Olympic champion in the sprints, has won every single 200m global race since  2008 including gold medals in Beijing and London.

Bolt Fires Rio Warning

Ghana Get 3rd Rep At Rio 2016 Paralympics

Ghana has been given a third slot at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games after para high jumper Yusif Awudu was granted a universal place by the International Paralympic Committee, the National Paralympic Committee has confirmed.

Yussif is a multi-discipline specialist and last competed in the javelin and shot put events at the 2015 All Africa Games in Congo-Brazzaville.

Born and raised in Bawku in the Upper East Region of Ghana, Yusif will become Ghana’s first para high jumper to compete at the Olympic Games when he participates in the global showpiece in Rio later this year.

The news follows the earlier success stories of Ghana’s powerlifter Charles Narh Teye and the nation’s first para cyclist Alem Mumuni,  both of whom secured their respective places at the Games after participating in some international qualifiers.

Ghana was represented by four para athletes at the London 2012 Olympic Games namely: three-time Olympian Raphael Botyso Nkegbe, wheelchair athlete Anita Fordjour, power lifter Charles Narh Teye and para cyclist Alem Mumuni.

Ghana Get 3rd Rep At Rio 2016 Paralympics

NSA Boss Rallies Support For Team Ghana Ahead Of Rio Games

The Director General of the National Sports Authority, Mr. Joe Kpenge has called on the general public to support team Ghana Ahead of the upcoming 2016 Olympic Games in Rio Dejenario. 

There has been wide spread calls from Ghanaian Sports lovers that the team should not go to the multi sports event as a result of failure to make any impact in previous editions.

But the National Sports Authority boss in an interview with Accra based Joy FM stated that, although he would have wished Ghana qualify more athletes, the public should back those that are going to represent the country.

“If we want to send athletes there, we want to send the best, if 15 or 20 are the best, who are medal hopefuls, then that is okay that we don’t send a large contingent there”, Mr. Kpenge said, adding that, “So if these can guarantee us some medals, some honor, so we should appreciate that.”

The Sports Authority boss further expressed worry over Ghana’s inability to send more athletes to the Global Showpiece.

NSA Boss Rallies Support For Team Ghana Ahead Of Rio Games

US Athlete, 16, Qualify"s For Rio Olympics

Sydney McLaughlin became the youngest US athlete to be selected for the Olympics since Carol Lewis in 1980 after Sunday’s trials in Oregon.

The 16-year-old finished third in the 400m hurdles to earn her spot in Rio.

Long jumper Lewis, the sister of nine-time Olympic gold medallist Carl, did not compete at the 1980 Moscow Games because the US boycotted the event.

Allyson Felix will not defend her 200m Olympic title in Rio after failing to qualify, but will race in the 400m.

McLaughlin, who set a new world junior record of 54.15 seconds, will be one of 77 American Olympic debutants at this summer’s Games, which get under way on 5 August.

In gymnastics, three-time world champion Simone Biles, 29, qualified and will be joined in the five-woman team by Gabby Douglas, three-time Olympic medallist Aly Raisman, Madison Kocian and Laurie Hernandez.

Devon Allen, 21, ran the second fastest 110m hurdles of the year (13.03 seconds) in Saturday’s final while Justin Gatlin and LaShawn Merritt both posted world-leading times in the 100m and 200m.

Gatlin clocked 9.80 seconds while Merritt ran 19.74 seconds in the 200m semi-final, although Gatlin beat him in the final.

Merritt is chasing a potential 200m-400m double in Rio, which has only been achieved once before, by Michael Johnson in 1996.

Men’s head coach Vin Lananna said: “We have a lot of young athletes, but I think we have a good mixture of veterans as well that will pull the young athletes along.”

BBC

US Athlete, 16, Qualify"s For Rio Olympics

Justin Gatlin Run Fastest Time Of The Year

Justin Gatlin ran a personal 100m best of 9.74 seconds at Doha 2015

American sprinter Justin Gatlin ran the fastest 100m time of the year at the US Olympic trials for Rio 2016.

The 2012 bronze medallist, 34, finished in 9.80 seconds, beating 20-year-old Trayvon Bromell who qualified for his first Olympics.

World champion Allyson Felix also set the year’s fastest time in the women’s 400m.

The 30-year-old, who won 200m gold in London, finished in 49.68secs despite still recovering from an ankle injury.

“Two months ago I couldn’t even walk. Somehow we found a way,” Felix said.

Meanwhile Yohan Blake claimed victory in the 200m Jamaican Olympic trials, finishing in 20.29 seconds – his best time since finishing second to Usain Bolt in 19.44 seconds at London 2012.

Bolt was forced to withdraw from the trials on Saturday after suffering a hamstring tear in the 100m semi-finals.

Blake, who also won the 100m, said that he did not think Bolt’s injury was serious enough to rule him out of Rio.

BBC

Justin Gatlin Run Fastest Time Of The Year

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

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 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

Russia’s Best Male Gymnastic Fails Drug Test

Russia’s best male gymnast could miss the Olympics after he became the latest to test positive for the banned substance meldonium.

Nikolai Kuksenkov withdrew from the national championships after being informed of the failed doping test on Saturday, a day after winning the individual all-around title.

Kuksenkov, a former European champion, had not taken meldonium since August, Russia team coach Valentina Rodionenko told the Russian Ves Sport agency.

“As yet, no one knows how long a period is needed for meldonium to leave the body,” she said. “It’s a kind of wild, wrong situation, which needs to be sorted out with joint effort.”

Kuksenkov competed for Ukraine under the name Mykola Kuksenkov before taking Russian nationality in 2013. He won European championship gold in the team all-around in 2014, and gold in the same event at last year’s inaugural European Games.

Kuksenkov’s is the first known doping case in gymnastics involving meldonium. More than 20 other Russians across all sports have tested positive for meldonium, which was banned on Jan. 1, with at least 123 cases worldwide.

Russia’s Best Male Gymnastic Fails Drug Test

Rio 2016: Brazil Ambassador Warns Pregnant Women against Zika Virus

The Brazilian Ambassador to Ghana Madam Irene Vida Gala has warned pregnant women against traveling to Rio for this year’s Olympic Games due to the Zika Virus.

Health expert have found out that the Zika Virus can be spread from a pregnant woman to her fetus and has been linked to a serious birth defect of the brain called microcephaly in babies.

With this outcome, pregnant women will be the highest to be affected in the multi sports event which is scheduled to start from August 5, 2016.

Speaking in an interview with Starr FM in Accra, Vida Gala said, “What I think we should also add is the fact that, the Zika is not proven to be dangerous for the majority of the population so the numbers who have died of the virus is not more than five. The problem is related to pregnancies and the Zika, because babies that are born with some kind of deformities”.

“The Zika has no symptoms and your immune system takes care of it and therefore we need to advertise and prevent pregnant women or women thinking of getting pregnant should not think of going to Brazil”, she added.

In a related development, team Ghana has only four athletes who have qualified for the event in Brazil so far.

Rio 2016: Brazil Ambassador Warns Pregnant Women against Zika Virus

Ghana"s Contingent To Rio Will Need GHc 26M - Nii Lantey

Minister of Youth and Sports, Nii Lantey Vanderpuije has revealed that Ghana’s contingent to this year’s Rio Olympics will need about GHc 26 million for the trip.

The Sports Ministry according to the minister, have only GHC 7 million for all sports federations for the year after breaking down the amount approved for the sector by the government of Ghana.

Laying bare the challenges at the Sports Ministry, Hon. Vanderpuije called on the media to support and avoid negative publicity about sports in the country to help attract corporate sponsors.

“We will need about GHc 26 million for our Olympics team to be able to go to Rio. How do we manage?, he asked.

“It will call for prudence,  it will call for ingenuity, it will call for support, and you (journalists) are the ones who can do this for us. We want to seek for your support to get the corporate bodies out there to come to our aid,” he added.

The former broadcast-journalist noted, “the budget is not only for sports, it is for Youth and Sports so if we take out the ones for our youth training sectors for the programmes at the National Sports Authority, just about GHc 4 million will be left”.

“The Black Maidens and the upcoming Black Stars match against Mozambique will drop all the GHc 4m; I am being frank with you,” he said.

Hon. Nii Lantey Vanderpuije also added that he won’t interfere with issues of bonuses. He wants to organise an open forum for all heads of the various federations and explain issues to them.

“I have for the past been saying that I don’t and I will not determine issues of bonuses for sports in this country; I am referring to only sports for men and women, the boxers will have to get bonus, the Black Maidens, the people who are competing in the Judo and everyone will have to get bonuses,” he made known.

“Every sector deserve bonuses, if we don’t have the money, what do we do? So my policy is that we say it as it is; all of us must sit down as a family, discuss it with all the sports federations and ask ourselves how we can share what we have,” he stated.

Ghana"s Contingent To Rio Will Need GHc 26M - Nii Lantey

Safo-Antwi Becomes 2nd To Qualify For Rio 2016

Sprinter Sean Safo-Antwi has become the second Ghanaian to qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games after the IAAF confirmed his nationality switch from Britain to Ghana on Wednesday.

 

The 25-year-old, who holds dual citizenship, joins 800m runner Alex Amankwah as the only athletes to have qualified for Rio 2016.

 

Safo-Antwi run the Olympic qualifying mark of 10.16secs at Loughborough (GBR) on 18th July, 2015.

Safo-Antwi Becomes 2nd To Qualify For Rio 2016

Olympic Games Is The Number One Priority This Year- Sports Minister

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Nii Lantey Vanderpuiye has disclosed that his outfit number one priority this year is the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Mr. Vanderpuiye who was interacting with the media during his visit to the Western Region refused to answer questions on the Ministry’s plans for the Black Stars upcoming AFCON 2017 Qualifier against Mozambique and instead spoke about the Rio event.

“Why are people always interested in the GFA?” He said when quizzed about the ministry’s plan for the March 24 game.

“Why are you not talking about the GOC?. Ghana is going to Brazil Olympics. Rio Olympics this year is more important than anything else. We are in an Olympic year. I am interested in the Olympic Games now because we are in an Olympic year.

“When we are in a football world cup year, fine I don’t have a problem. But the truth of the matter is the Ministry of youth and sports will support all sporting disciplines. We will support all sporting Associations not only the GFA.

“I am not going to be a football Minister. I am going to be the Minister for Youth and Sports” Nii Lantey Vanderpuiye added.

Olympic Games Is The Number One Priority This Year- Sports Minister

Ghana"s Paralympic Team Seeks For Support As Rio Games Nears

Barely six months to the start of Paralympic games,  Ghana’s wheelchair team could miss out if they are not able to immediately raise some much needed cash to participate in the qualifiers.

The two main wheelchair athletes, Botsyo Nkegbe and Maclean Atsu Dzidzienyo, have had a difficult time preparing for the competition and already, the Arizona Disabled Sports (AZDS) have invited the Ghanaian duo to the 2016 Desert Challenge, but financial constraint is preventing them.

Coach and captain of the national wheelchair team, Nkegbe, who disclosed the situation to the Daily Graphic in Accra, revealed that the team has now turned their attention to the public and corporate bodies to help make the trip.

He appealed to the public to assist them after attempts to seek sponsorship from the National Sports Authority became an exercise in futility.

“we need to attend the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) sanctioned event to enable us to qualify for the Paralympic Games in Rio, Brazil, in September and we need to raise $5,000 to enable us to embark on the trip.” Botsyo Nkegbe was quoted to have said.

As part of their qualification, they were also expected to travel to Switzerland for the Swiss Open, also an IPC-sanctioned competition that would help them qualify for the Paralympic Games.

“The challenge for both of us now is how to raise funds for our flight and accommodation and we would be glad if the public would come to our aid,” Nkegbe added.

Ghana"s Paralympic Team Seeks For Support As Rio Games Nears

Refugees To Take Part In Rio Olympics

A team of refugees will compete at this summer’s Olympics in Rio.

A total of 43 prospective athletes have been identified for the Team of Refugee Olympic Athletes (ROA), which will compete under the Olympic flag.

“By welcoming ROA to the Olympic Games in Rio, we want to send a message of hope to all the refugees of the world,” said International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach.

“This team will be treated like all the other teams.”

As well as sporting ability, selection criteria will include personal circumstances and United Nations-verified refugee status.

Athletes will then be supported with funds to train.

“This team may end up between five and 10 athletes maybe,” said Bach.

“We have no target. It depends very much on the sporting qualifications.”

The ROA will be housed in the athletes’ village and will enter the opening ceremony as the penultimate team, ahead of hosts Brazil.

In a related development, The IOC also issued assurances over the Zika virus, slow ticket sales, water pollution and facilities

Refugees To Take Part In Rio Olympics

Ghana Might Be Represented in Taekwando At The Olympics Despite Failing To Qualify - Taekwondo Boss

With 168 days for the world to witness an Olympic  torch,Ghana taekwondo athletes might still have a chance to participate in Olympic games despite failing to qualify for Rio, in the African qualifying rounds held in  Morocco.

 

Ghana sent four highly ranked athletes to Morocco in pursuit to qualify for the Olympic games,but failed in their quest in the early rounds of qualifier.

 

In an interview with the media at the  final of the Ghana Rugby club championship the President of Ghana Taekwondo Federation, Mr Frederick Lartey said ” we are now left with the option of the wild card,that is what we call the trapatie commissioner invitational placement, where four athlete will be selected by the International Olympic Committee to participate in the Olympics”.

 

Mr. Lartey therefore entreated Ghanaians to remember the taekwondo athletes in their  prayers so that we get lucky to be selected with the wild card option.

 

 

Ghana Might Be Represented in Taekwando At The Olympics Despite Failing To Qualify - Taekwondo Boss