Ghandour Cosmetics Company has promised to support the 2020 /2021 WISA Awards.

The assurance came after President and Executive Director of Women In Sports Association, Madam Gloria Commodore has paid a courtesy call on the management of the company that has been supporting the organization of the awards over the years.

Madam Commodore expressed her gratitude to the company and all others who will be involved in this year’s program scheduled for the Accra Sports Stadium on Saturday September 25, 2021.

She hinted that over 45 female sports personalities will he honored for their contributions to Ghana Sports in the past two seasons.

She said 2020 /2021 was an Olympic year and many activities took place.

She commended the footballers as well as boxers and other athletes who represented Ghana at international programs and won laurels.

She advised sports women to strive hard to take advantage of the 2023 African Games to be hosted in Ghana to make names and history for themselves.

She also thanked the Director General and staff of the National Sports Authority for supporting the WISA Awards for the past six years.

Madam Commodore hailed the Ghana Olympic Committee GOC and the media for their partnership in encouraging and recognizing the best sports talents.

This year's WISA Awards will be spiced with a musical show by one of the best female artistes who is coming from the USA to motivate the youth of Ghana.

Queen Ella will surprise winners and guests with her wonderful songs and dance movements.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

Hearts of Oak midfield dynamo Ibrahim Salifu has expressed delight after being crowned Player of the Season at the Ghana Premier League awards.

The former Eleven Wonders player beat teammates Benjamin Afutu and Gladson Awako as well as goalking Diawisie Taylor and Augustine Boakye to the award.

At a mini ceremony held at the Electroland office in Accra, the nimble footed player thanked his teammates and fans of the club for helping him win the award.

"I'd like to thank the board chairman, thank my coaches for starting with coach Ignatius and ultimately coach Boadu for their guidance. A very big thank you to our supporters. Thank you so much for everything," he said.

Salifu was the star of Hearts of Oak as they won the double last season, winning the league and the MTN FA Cup.

Although he joined from Eleven Wonders in the second half, the skillful midfielder had a huge impact on the team.

In 33 matches, he won eight man of the match awards, scoring three goals and creating eight assists.

International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Andrew Parsons has praised the government of Ghana through the leadership of the National Paralympic Committee, NPC-Ghana, for their professional conduct in the ongoing Tokyo Paralympic Games.

At a meeting with the Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports, Hon. Evans Opoku Bobie, the President of the National Paralympic Committee of Ghana, Mr. Samson Deen and the Chef de Mission of the Ghana’s Tokyo Paralympic Games delegation Mr. Peter Adjei.

The IPC President, Andrew Parsons called for a more inclusive society outside the Paralympic Games. He encouraged Ghana to take more action to create a world "free from discrimination or barriers of any kind", even after the Paralympic Games.

"The Paralympic Games are for sure a platform for change," Parsons said. "But only every four years is not enough. “It is up to each and every one of us to play our part every day, to make for a more inclusive society in our countries, in our cities and in our communities."

The meeting which was held at the Grand Nikko Hotel Daiba was also witnessed by Miss Sheila Cleo Mogalo, a Consultant for the IPC handling the Para Sport Against Stigma project in Ghana and Nana Nobeng Amoo-Gottfried, the Para Powerlifting Management Committee Chairman.

Mr. Parsons thanked the government of Ghana and the NPC-Ghana leadership especially the President, Mr. Samson Deen for “supporting the athletes through the pandemic, with the President calling it "the strength of the Paralympic Movement".

The IPC President Andrew Parsons also promised to be in Ghana before the year ends to champion the recently-launched “WeThe15” campaign, an awareness programme mobilised by the IPC and the International Disability Alliance to challenge how disabled people are perceived and treated globally across all areas of life.

The 10-year initiative seeks to represent the 15 per cent of the world's population who have a disability, and is supported by 20 international organisations, including Special Olympics, the United Nations Human

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President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Tuesday, August 31, 2021 cut the sod for construction work to begin on sporting facilities for the 13 edition of the African Games scheduled for 2023 in Accra.

He performed the ceremony at Borteyman in Nungua near Accra for the construction of sports facilities to host the 2023 African Games.

The facility will host 24 sporting disciplines for the African Games. It will have multi-purpose sports halls for all indoor sports, 1,000 seater aquatic centre for swimming, 1,000 seater basketball and tennis courts.

Nana Akufo Addo in his speech at the ceremony said it is historic as Ghana was at the first Games in Brazzaville in Congo in 1965, and now prepares to host for the first time in 2023, which is a landmark.

He recalled how Ghana won the bid in 2018 and how efforts in preparations have been made by the Ministry of Youth & Sports, Cabinet and Parliament.

He said the $145million facilities project would be turned into a University of Sports Development to turn out more sports people, and also used for future tournaments.

He encouraged all Ghanaians to unite and support the national project.

Minister of Youth & Sports, Hon Mustapha Ussif said due to time constrains and covid 19 interference, the LOC has decided a hybrid system to fix and renovate the University of Ghana, Legon Sports Complex and build other complementary facilities at Borteyman.

He hinted that 24 sports disciplines would be contested by 5,000 athletes from 55 countries.

Present were Nii Afote Agbo who performed the welcome address, the chairman Dr. Kwaku Ofosu Asare and members of the LOC, MPs, sports federation heads, the GOC President, Mr. Ben Nunoo Mensah, 2020 Tokyo Bronze Medalist Samuel Takyi, former national athletes, Azumah Nelson, Stephen Appiah, Ohene Karikari, Mike Ahey, Grace Obuor and others as well as the media.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

A Women’s World Boxing Championships is set to be organised before the end of the year, it has been revealed by the International Boxing Association (AIBA).

The announcement was made during International Boxing Day, which took place in Belgrade on Friday (August 27).

The AIBA Men’s World Boxing Championships are due to be held in the Serbian capital between October 26 and November 6, but this is the first confirmation that a women’s edition would also take place.

The event had originally been scheduled for Kielce in Poland, along with the AIBA Youth Men’s Championships, in April.

The men’s event took place as planned but the women’s was postponed because of the coronavirus crisis.

"We will definitely hold it this year," AIBA President Umar Kremlev said.

"It will be at the end of November and beginning of December.

"We will announce very soon in which city we stage it.

"We have had problems with the event because of the pandemic."

This will be the 12th edition of the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships since it was first held in Scranton in the United States in 2001.

The event has been widely credited with helping the campaign to get women’s boxing added to the Olympic programme, making its debut at London 2012.

The last Championships was held in Ulan-Ude in Russia in 2019.

Ten weight categories were contested.

Russia finished top of the overall medals table with a total of six medals, including three golds.

In total, 21 countries won medals with eight claiming golds.

Champions in Ulan-Ude included Turkey’s Busenaz Sürmeneli, winner of the welterweight category and who claimed the Olympic gold medal at Tokyo 2020 where only five weight categories were on the programme.

By Duncan Mackay 

The Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) said it is "deeply saddened" by the death of former International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge, who died yesterday at the age of 79.

Rogge was President of the IOC from 2001 to 2013, before being succeeded by current President Thomas Bach.

The Belgian was a 16-time national sailing champion and competed at the 1968, 1972 and 1976 Olympics Games in the Finn class.

He also served as President of the European Olympic Committees (EOC), where Rogge first worked with ANOC secretary general Gunilla Lindberg.

"Jacques was a close friend to so many of us in the Olympic Movement and he will be greatly missed by us all." Lindberg said.

"I had the honour of working closely with him first on the EOC and then in the IOC.

"He leaves a legacy that will live on for generations and he will always be remembered for the enormous contribution he made to the world of sport.

"Our thoughts are with his family at this very difficult time."

Australian Olympic Committee President John Coates, who is also an IOC member, expressed his condolences.

"Jacques was a giant of the Olympic Movement, and his passing is a great loss to the Olympic family," Coates said.

"He was a champion athlete, a triple Olympian and a great ambassador for fair play.

"As President of the IOC, he helped modernise the Olympic movement, inaugurated the Youth Olympics and was a tireless advocate for clean sport.

"Jacques had a special affection for Australia and we to him as chair of the IOC Coordination Commission for Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

"I had the privilege of working closely with Jacques and will forever admire his integrity and immense contribution to the Olympic movement in so many ways.

"My thoughts are with Jacques' family and friends."

British Olympic Association chairman Sir Hugh Robertson said: "On behalf of the British Olympic family, I would like to extend our utmost sympathies, first and foremost, to the family of Jacques Rogge but also to the International Olympic Committee, which he led with such distinction from 2001-2013.

"I was fortunate enough to get to know him during London 2012 when he proved to be a wise, respected and considered leader and a hugely decent person.

"He was a true servant of the Olympic movement and will be greatly missed by his many friends and admirers across the world."

By Andrew Dowdeswell 

Former International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge, who led the organisation from 2001 to 2013, has died at the age of 79.

The Belgian served as the eighth President of the IOC for 12 years, after succeeding Juan Antonio Samaranch, the Spaniard who led the organisation for 21 years.

Rogge competed in sailing at three Olympic Games in the Finn class - in 1968, 1972 and 1976.

Rogge then moved into sports administration, serving as President of both the Belgium Olympic Committee and European Olympic Committees.

Paying tribute, current IOC President Thomas Bach, who succeeded Rogge in 2013, said: "First and foremost, Jacques loved sport and being with athletes - and he transmitted this passion to everyone who knew him.

"His joy in sport was infectious.

"He was an accomplished President, helping to modernise and transform the IOC.

"He will be remembered particularly for championing youth sport and for inaugurating the Youth Olympic Games.

"He was also a fierce proponent of clean sport, and fought tirelessly against the evils of doping.

"Since we were elected as IOC members together we shared a wonderful bond of friendship, and this continued until his last days, when the entire Olympic Movement and I could still benefit from his contribution, in particular on the Board of the Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage.

"The entire Olympic Movement will deeply mourn the loss of a great friend and a passionate fan of sport."

Rogge worked as an orthopaedic surgeon and earned a degree in sports medicine.

As well as competing in sailing at the Olympics Rogge was also a 16-times national champion and a world champion in the sport.

He also competed on the international stage for Belgium in rugby.

After standing down as President of the IOC, Rogge was made an Honorary President of the organisation, while also standing as Special Envoy for Youth, Refugees and Sport to the United Nations.

The Olympic flag will be thrown at half-mast at all IOC properties for five days as a mark of respect.

A public memorial service is set to be held later this year to remember his life and celebrate his contribution to sport.

He was married to Anne and had a son, daughter and two grandchildren.

By Neil Shefferd 

The Ghana Athletics Association (GAA), has announced a multi-year and multi-pronged partnership with a Ghanaian beverage company, Tema Craft Brewery (TCB), manufacturers of the Django range of beverages.

The GAA and Brewers of the Django Brothers, Tema Craft Brewery signed a 3-year partnership, making TCB an official beverage partner of the GAA.

This three-year deal would see TCB partner with the GAA in its systematic approach to growing Athletics in Ghana.

Mr. Karan Chimnani & Rahul Sapra, co-founders of TCB, expressed their excitement saying, “We are proud and excited to partner with the Ghana Athletics Association as an official beverage partner. As a Made-in-Ghana 360-beverage company, we take great pride in supporting the “Ghana to the World” agenda. Ghana Athletics is again at a golden era and we are thrilled to partner with the GAA in showcasing the immense talent we have, to the world.”

“This partnership with the GAA is a clear demonstration of TCB’s commitment to Athletics in Ghana and its development. We are pleased to be key partners with the GAA on this journey”. Christopher Opara, Chief Marketing Officer at Tema Craft Brewery said.

Speaking on this new partnership, the GAA President, Mr. Afelibiek Ababu noted that the TCB partnership agreement was initiated under his predecessor Prof. Francis Dodoo, stressing that, in cementing the agreement, GAA demonstrates it’s clear commitment to forging new partnerships in its quest to deliver a more refined product to athletes and fraternity.

Mr. Charles Osei Asibey, GAA’s 2nd Vice President who is also in charge of marketing and strategic communications noted that

“This partnership is a relief for development and competition as it guarantees one major national championship. TCB exclusive Athletics competition per year and a separate yearly grant to support GAA developmental activities at the regional level.”

Tema Craft Brewery is Ghana and West-Africa’s first microbrewery, well known for their flagship brand, Django; a bespoke non-alcoholic beverages and refreshing still & sparkling water as well as a premium range of craft beers.

From Sammy Heywood Okine

President of the Ghana Amateur Boxing Federation (GBF), Mr. George Lamptey has deflated claims that Olympic bronze medalist Samuel Takyi has been promoted from amateur boxer to the professional level.

The 20-year old boxer said in an interview on TV 3 Warm Up Plus Show that his days as an amateur boxer were over and will move on to the next level after achieving his dream of winning an Olympic medal in Tokyo.

According to Mr Lamptey, the young boxer is not ready to fight as a professional and misunderstood the question asked hence his answer to fight professionally.

Speaking to the media, Mr Lamptey said: “No he’s not turning professional as at now it was a question they asked him and he didn’t think of it very well but I’ve spoken to him and he had no idea so that interview can be discarded.

“He’s focusing on his amateur career, I’ve spoken to his management and they were also surprised and so in a nut shell he has shelved that decision and focusing on his next step of his career”

Mr Lamptey noted that it will take a lot of consultations to turn Takyi into a professional boxer.

He explained that “we will need to consult his management as well as professional boxers like former world champion Azumah Nelson before we come to a conclusion to so that we don’t jeopardise his boxing career after he has lifted the flag of Ghana.

Ghana has a lot of championships like the 2024 Olympic Games, 2022 Commonwealth Games and 2023 African Games to tackle and will need the services of experienced boxers like Samuel Takyi.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

Boxing enthusiast, manager and promoter, Lawyer John Manfo last Tuesday joined members of the new GBA to visit the Black Panthers Boxing Gym at James Town in Accra to watch the final preparations of world title hopeful Alfred Lamptey as he prepares for the WBO Youth and WBC silver super featherweight titles.

He joined the president of the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA), Mr Neequaye to make a donation of 1,000ghc to Alfred Lamptey to help him in the preparation of the WBO Youth World and WBC Youth World Silver Super Featherweight Championship.

19 year old Alfred Lamptey aka Show Time as well as Bukom Bomber will face Iddi Kayumba from Tanzania at the Bukom Boxing Arena on September 4, 2021.

Present were members of the Ghana Boxing Supporters Union.

By Sammy Heywood Okine