Sensei Anani Kwadjo, Ghana’s representative in Judo at the 2020 Olympic Games believes nothing is impossible and he is at the Games to have an experience.

Speaking to Yours Truly in an exclusive chat at the Games Village, the 90 kg athlete said anything can happen in life and sports, however he hopes for a good experience and performance.

The Silver medal winner at the African Championship in Senegal, where he qualified for the Olympic Games urged Ghanaians to wish the Team in Tokyo all the best.

His Italian trainer, Victorio Serenelli advised Ghanaian youth to practice judo as it is a way of life.

By Sammy Heywood Okine in Tokyo

Courtesy GOC Communications / Ashfoam / Twellium

Ghana international, Christian Atsu has joined Saudi Arabian top-flight club Al Raed on a two-year deal.

Atsu was released by Newcastle United at the end of the season after falling short at the club.

Atsu becomes the second Ghanaian this transfer window to move to Saudi Arabia after Afriyie Acquah joined Al-Banti last month.

Atsu after an impressive season with FC Porto joined Chelsea but failed to break into the first team.

He was shipped out on loan and played for several clubs including Everton, Bournemouth and Malaga before Newcastle United captured him permanently.

Newcastle’s transfer was a reward for his impressive contribution to the club’s Premier League return in 2017.

Four years later, he parted ways with Tyneside club after having been reduced to training with the U-23 team as the club did not include him in their squad for the league last season.

At Al Raed, Atsu will work with former Sevilla coach Pablo Machin as well as share the same dressing room with Guinean great Ishmael Banguoura and former Zamalek star Shikalaba.

Atsu will be hoping to hit the grounds running Asia to be able to secure a place in CK Akonnor's team ahead of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations [Afcon] scheduled in Cameroon next year.

The Mayor of Inawashiro, Mr.Hiroshi Zongo and top officials of the town on Saturday bid Team Ghana farewell at an emotional ceremony at the Bandai Friendship Center where Ghana’s Olympic Team lodged for two weeks in preparation ahead of  the Tokyo 2020 Games.

The Mayor and the town officials lined up and he commended Team Ghana for their hard work and passing through the 2 weeks training without any Covid -19 issues, he urged the athletes to do well at the Games.

They presented garlands in Ghana colours  and special gifts to the Team, while the leader of Team Ghana did same with a micro wave oven to the school where the swimmers trained.

Chef De Mission of Team Ghana, Mr. Mike Aggrey thanked the Mayor for their hospitality and efforts, promising that his athletes will excel to prove from the training that they benefited from Inawashiro Town.

Ghana’s boxing squad, the Black Bombers, swimming team and weightlifter camped and trained in Inawashiro sports facilities ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Meanwhile, Judoka Anani Kwadjo has joined the team as they arrived in Tokyo for accreditation.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

Courtesy GOC Communications / Tokyo

Students from the Azuma Junior High school in Inawashiro on Friday staged a special ceremony to bid farewell to Ghana’s two swimmers who have been training at their pool in  preparation for  the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

The students led by their head master, Mr. Masa and his staff organised the flag lowering ceremony backed by goodwill messages to Abeiku Gyekye Jackson and Unilez  Y. Takyi who would be doing the 50 meters and 100 meters Freestyle respectively.

They urged the Ghanaian swimmers to do well in their events, and win the ultimate.

Abeiku Jackson thanked them for giving out their swimming pool for their training and promised to do his best.

Unilez Takyi also commended them for their hospitality.

Present at the ceremony was the Chef de Mission, Mr. Mike Aggrey, President of Ghana Swimming Association, Mrs. Delphina Quaye and Coach Daniel Opare.

By Sammy Heywood Okine, Courtesy GOC Communications / Ashfoam / Twellium  / Inawashiro

Accra Hearts of Oak head coach, Samuel Boadu has reiterated his ambitions of coaching the senior national team, the Black Stars in the near future.

The 36-year-old has dominated the local media and the headlines after steering the Phobians to a league triumph for the first time in 12 years.

Hearts of Oak were confirmed winners of the 2020/21 Ghana Premier League following their 1-1 drawn game against Liberty Professionals in the matchday 33 fixture at the Accra Sports Stadium over the weekend with a game to end the season.

And according to the former Medeama SC gaffer, no job is bigger than him and stressed that his ambition is to coach the senior national team.

"It is my ambition as a coach to coach the Black Stars in the future," he told 3Sports.

"There is no bigger job than me.

"Unless I say I can't do it, I will.

"Mark it somewhere," he added.

Following his triumph, Boadu in a separate interview said he is looking forward to being a household name in the African continent and even go ahead to coach national teams of other countries.

“I want to be the biggest coach in Africa, that’s my motive. In life, you have to aim high and have to be self-confident. Somebody has been able to do it so why not you?" he told Kumasi based Light FM.

“I don’t want to coach the Ghana national team. I want to coach national teams outside the country. As I walk around, I’m already self-motivated with my personal targets.

The former Ghana U-15 coach, however, admits that it will take extra commitment for him to reach the target set for himself and believes with the right decision, he will be able to succeed.

“Where I want to need extra work, determination, willpower and self-confidence and faithfulness. What will make faithfulness prevail is to choose the right people to work with under you,” he stated

Boadu was named as the head coach of the Phobians prior to the start of the second half of the 2020/21 season on a three-year deal.

He was recently named as the best coach at the Ghana Football Awards held at the Grand Arena.

Hearts of Oak will wrap up their season with an away game against WAFA at the Reb Bull Arena on Saturday.

 Experienced boxing coach Dr. Ofori Asare has hailed the Black Bombers’ response to training as they wind up their programme in Inawashiro and move to Tokyo for the Olympic Games on Saturday.

The AIBA three stars rated Technical Director of the Ghana National Boxing Team said his three boxers have improved greatly and gave credit to the programmes at the TSEL in Accra and especially the final preparation in Inawashiro.

Dr. Asare who has been with the Black Bombers for a long time hinted that they are ready to go for the Games.

He went to the extend of describing the trio as ‘Most Experienced’ for Suleimanu Tetteh the captain, ‘Most Powerful’ for Light Heavyweight Shakul Samed and ‘Most Talented’ for young sensation Samuel Takyi.

“My boys are ready to go, we are here to repeat history, and I have confidence in all of them” he  stressed.

According to him, the camp in Inawashiro has offered them marvelous facilities and equipment for training, and they have improved in many aspects of the game.

He thanked the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) for taking them to the pre tournament training and hoped for a good ballot and fair officiating.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

Courtesy GOC Communications / Inawashiro

On Wednesday July 14, IOC President Thomas Bach and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga held a meeting to discuss the preparations for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, which will open nine days from now on 23 July. The meeting was also attended by Tokyo 2020 President Seiko Hashimoto.

After the meeting, the IOC President said:

“I would like to express my heartfelt respect and gratitude to the Government and the people of Japan for welcoming us.

“There are nine days left until the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. Athletes from all over the world are now arriving into Tokyo. The Games will unite the world in all our diversity. They will show that we are stronger together in all our solidarity.

“The Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee has done a fantastic job in preparing for these Games and to make Tokyo the best-prepared Olympic city ever. Achieving this was only possible because of the fantastic volunteers and their dedicated staff. The IOC is sitting in the same boat and we are rowing in the same direction, enjoying the full support of the Government of Japan.

“Eighty-five per cent of the athletes and officials who will live in the Olympic Village, and almost 100 per cent of the IOC Members and IOC staff, are either vaccinated or immune. The percentage of vaccinated international media representatives is between 70 per cent and 80 per cent.

“These Games will be followed by billions of people around the globe. They will admire what the Japanese people have achieved under these difficult circumstances.”

In addition, the IOC was informed today by the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee about the 8,000+ people involved in the Games who travelled to Japan between 1 and 13 July. All were subject to the Tokyo 2020 screening testing regime, and all underwent pre-departure tests and health checks. Only three tested positive for COVID-19 after arrival and were immediately isolated, while the close contacts have been subject to the relevant quarantine measures.

Source -AIPS (Photo by IOC)

Members of Italy’s Olympic delegation arrive at Haneda airport on July 13, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Yuichi Yamazaki/Getty Images)

The air is hot, humid, sticky. Tokyo is ready for the first Olympics in full pandemic with its usual sweltering summer climate. It is no coincidence that in 1964 it was organized in October, but at that time it was not the TV contracts that dictated the dates of the Games.

Massive team arrivals began last week. The weather is uncertain, thunderstorms are expected every day in the afternoon and then the sun with 33 degrees, which will be perceived as 43….

Landing - Fortunately for us, the arrival at the airport of Haneda, smaller and closer to the center than Narita, was much more complicated than in previous Olympic editions. Before disembarking, employees of the organization have asked to fill in a form on the plane, a quick but unexpected procedure. In this way, however, a traffic jam is avoided immediately. At a station 200 meters further on, they have checked if the two apps have been downloaded, which help us to have information on health and organization and for them to know where we are at all times…

Number - An identification number was then given for the next saliva test. After a long walk, the result was collected at door 146. The process that can last from 2 to 4 hours.

Risks - All reception staff are very kind, but most of them are headed by the government and therefore are very attentive to details in health declarations. Those who do not fill in the forms with precision, which mainly concern the tests required 96 and 72 hours before departure, risk not only long waits, but also the possibility of being sent home. Attention, the 72 hours from the second and last test strictly required must coincide with the departure time of the plane. If it turns out that the test was done at 10.30 am and three days later the flight will depart at 11.20, then over 72 hours for 50 minutes delicate problems could arise, because the required limits would be exceeded and this could invalidate the process. So you have to pay close attention to this very important detail.

Efficient organization - To avoid direct contact with the population, the transport of all people connected to the Olympics is separated from public transport. The teams are taken directly to the village or headquarters where they have decided to complete the preparation, the journalists and technicians to the main terminal in the city and from there everyone is given a free voucher for a "safe" taxi that will take them to the hotel. Perfect coordination.

Those against - The percentage of Japanese against the Games is still high, but two days ago a demonstration in front of the hotel, which hosts Thomas Bach and the IOC, attracted few people. By now they know that the organizational machine can no longer be stopped, but they are unable to accept that the Government has sharpened the heavy restrictions, but not so heavy with respect to our lockdown. They smile at us, but they prefer not to talk about what they feel inside. They continue to be kind, even if adamant about the rules we must follow. We cannot blame them because, if they loosened their grip, it would then be difficult to manage the resulting discomfort. They are not used to improvisation and elasticity in the interpretation of the rules.

The pessimists  - Then, to rage the morale of the doubters, Hirotada Hirose, a well-known expert of "disaster risk", also intervened, declaring to the French press agency that the organizers of the Games should have taken into consideration the devastating danger of earthquakes and typhoons, which are common in this area of ​​the world sitting on the Ring of Fire.

The reason - It is clear that such a statement raises some doubts even in the most unshakable optimist. But we must continue to think positively, because these Games must also be a new experience on how to deal with the pandemic without having to give up everything. In Europe, too, there will probably be suffering again after the UEFA European Championships, but unfortunately it is no longer possible to go back. It is necessary that everyone, even the deniers, understand that new rules of life must be followed, which do not undermine the true rights of individual freedom.

Source - Gianni Merlo - AIPS President

Medal ceremonies at Tokyo 2020 will be very different compared to previous Olympic Games due to COVID-19 ©Getty Images

Athletes who finish on the podium at the delayed Olympic Games here will put on their own medals, rather than having them draped round their neck, due to COVID-19 measures set to be in place at Tokyo 2020.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach announced a series of steps that will be taken during the medal ceremonies to limit the risk posed by the COVID-19 virus and described the change as "very significant."

The medal presenters, typically members of the IOC or other guests, will be required to wear disinfected gloves, Bach said.

They will place the gold, silver or bronze medal - made of entirely recycled consumer electronics - on a tray and the recipient will pick them up and place it around their own necks, in a break from a tradition that has been part of the Olympics for decades.

The move contrasts with UEFA's method at major tournaments held during the pandemic.

UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin presented the medals to winners Italy and runners-up England in the normal way after the final of the European Championship on Sunday (July 11), as well as the Champions League and Europa League in May.

UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin presented the medals to winners Italy and runners-up England in the normal way after the final of the European Championship ©Getty Images

Both the athlete and the presenter will wear masks under the measures outlined in the playbooks, the series of strict rules the IOC and Tokyo 2020 hope will ensure the Games are "safe and secure".

"There will be no shake hands and there will be no hugs there during the ceremony," Bach added.

The IOC had previously revealed athletes or teams who are denied the chance of competing in a gold medal match in certain events will be replaced but will still receive a silver medal.

"If an athlete would have taken part in a medal event but cannot, they will receive the minimum level of medal they would have received for example in a final," IOC sports director Kit McConnell said last month.

It could see two silver medals presented in several sports at the Games, although the athlete who has tested positive will not be able to attend the ceremony.

There are scheduled to be 339 events at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which are due to open on July 23 and close on August 8.

By Liam Morgan

After having lost his world title to Emanuel Navarrete, Isaac ‘The Royal Storm’ Dogboe in a quest to regain his glory back as a two time world champion has already captured the North American Boxing Federation (NABF) Featherweight title.

Isaac Dogboe in a hotly contested 10 round featherweight contest last month with the Glendale born Adam Lopez at the Virgin Hotels, Las Vegas decisioned his nemesis to win his first title after losing the WBO world super bantam strap in December 2018.

The NABF regional title received by Isaac Dogboe is a reward to motivate and him keep on his toes with full focus of redeeming himself with another world title soon. Via his social media handle yesterday, the former world champion expressed his gratitude to the NABF after receieving their featherweight strap

” Massive Thanks the North American Boxing Federation #NABF for sending me my new TITLE. Another ONE added to my collection…”

The tweet concluded with an important but short message

“ON TO THE NEXT ONE, NEHO!!

#NEHO #ISAACDOGBOE #ROYALSTORM #CHAMP #TEAMDOGBOE #TEAMWORK”

Boxing Ghana congratulates Isaac Dogboe for this title and also joins to say “ON TO THE NEXT ONE”

By Winfred Worlanyo Siegu Yaw / boxinghana.com