IOC sports director Kit McConnell has revealed that a strategy has been developed to help International Federations respond to a COVID-19 case ©Getty Images

Athletes denied the chance of competing in a gold medal match at this year’s delayed Olympic Games in Tokyo due to a positive COVID-19 test will be replaced but will not leave empty-handed, it has been confirmed.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) sports director Kit McConnell said the contingency plans, outlined in the third edition of the "playbook", aim to "keep the integrity of competition" and ensure athletes are not disqualified for contracting coronavirus.

It could see athletes who have to withdraw from a final due to COVID-19 in sports which take place over a longer period of the Games, such as tennis or badminton, be awarded a silver medal.

While a series of measures will be put in place to mitigate the risk of contracting COVID-19 at the Games, McConnell has revealed that the IOC has developed a strategy to help International Federations respond to the potential disruption of a COVID-19 case to their competition.

McConnell acknowledges that each sport will have "slightly different rules" to deal with COVID-19 but says the IOC has developed a plan, called "Sports Specific Regulations", along with all 32 IFs to ensure there is a "degree of consistency" when making decisions on coronavirus cases.

"We have come up with key principles which we communicated last week at the IOC Executive Board meeting," said McConnell.

"All these reflect the fact that we are looking to keep the integrity of competition and keep the competition schedule and formats as planned."

Under the strategy, an individual unable to compete due to a positive coronavirus test would be classed as "did not start" rather than "disqualification", with McConnell insisting a COVID-19 case "it is not necessarily the fault of the athlete or the team".

More medals will be handed at Tokyo 2020 in response to a positive COVID-19 test denying an athlete the chance to contest a gold medal match ©Getty Images

More medals will be handed at Tokyo 2020 in response to a positive COVID-19 test denying an athlete the chance to contest a gold medal match ©Getty Images

"If an athlete has to withdraw, then their place would be made available by the next highest ranked and eligible athlete," said McConnell.

"Depending on the competition format and scheduled, a replacement team would move into the empty space, for example the quarter-final or semi-final.

"The team that could not take part in the semi-finals would be replaced, if possible, by the team that that they played in the quarter-finals.

"In the final point of that jigsaw, athletes and teams should not lose the minimum result that they would have obtain.

"If the athlete was not able to compete in the final and would have receive a diploma for their participation, they will receive that.

"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.

"They will receive a silver medal if they can’t take place in a gold medal final and that’s really important from our perspective to reflect the minimum level of that athlete or team would have achieved.

"You cannot imagine what the athletes had gone through over the last 18 months to deal with training schedule with international travel and reaches this level of competition.

"We need to support and reflect the performance of the athletes."

Badminton is among the sports that will benefit from the IOC's approach to dealing with coronavirus cases in competition at the Games ©Getty Images

Badminton is among the sports that will benefit from the IOC's approach to dealing with coronavirus cases in competition at the Games ©Getty Images

McConnell said the strategy on replacing an infected athlete might not work in sports such as judo, which is set to stage all rounds including the final of each division in a single day.

But the senior official said tennis and badminton were among the sports that would benefit from this approach to COVID-19.

"It is possible that where an athlete or a team has to be removed from competition and can’t take place they do retain or a medal or a diploma, they might be replaced as well which may lead to multiple medals," said McConnell.

"We are not really burying specific rules of competition, we are just bringing in specific rules to deal with COVID where an athlete has reached a certain point in competition, like a final, would receive the minimum medal or diploma that would have received by taking part in that competition.

"We don’t think it is fair to take that away from them after everything they have been through to reach that position in competition and that will be develop sport by sport, discipline by discipline event by event when finalising the sport specific regulations that will be publish in the coming weeks."

Over the last eight months, McConnell claimed the international federations have run over 430 major international competition involving over 55,000 athletes.

McConnell said the IOC had also held 13 "very successful" test events in April and May as they continue to adapt plans for Tokyo 2020.

"All sports on the programme for Tokyo 2020 have successfully run international competitions in a very safe environment, which was safe for the athletes, all the accredited personal and safe for the local publications," said McConnell added.

"All of these have had their developed by the International Federations but also adapt into the local environment, using the local regulations of the National Government, the host city and all of these areas so the Federations are very experienced in taking their own sport and adapting into the local environment with all of those regulations."

The third version of the playbook for athletes is available here.

By Geoff Berkeley 

Tokyo 2020 has unveiled the third and final version of its playbook for athletes and officials ©Tokyo2020

Participants could be thrown out of this year’s delayed Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo if they violate strict COVID-19 rules outlined in the "playbooks", organisers have warned.

Pierre Ducrey, Olympic Games operations director for the International Olympic Committee (IOC), insists there will be a hard-line approach to athletes, coaches and officials who fail to comply to a series of measures set out by organisers to reduce the risk posed by COVID-19.

COVID-19 Liaison Officers (CLOs) - who have been appointed by every National Olympic Committee (NOC) and National Paralympic Committee (NPC) attending the Games - will be tasked to alert officials to any breaches within their own delegation.

The disciplinary sanctions facing rule-breakers have been outlined in the third and final edition of the playbook, published today.

According to the document, athletes could face "warnings", "temporary or permanent withdrawal of your accreditation", "temporary or permanent ineligibility or exclusion from the Games", "disqualification" or "financial sanctions".

Athletes, who will have to comply with social distancing measures such as avoiding hugs and handshakes, have been barred from visiting tourist areas and will be tested daily at the Games.

Ducrey admits organisers will rely "a lot" on people taking responsibility for their actions but insists the IOC will impose sanctions if they break the rules.

"Should there be no respect of the rules in the playbook this could lead to consequences that could have an impact on participation at the Games or access to the Games venues or a number of consequences which participants need to be aware of," said Ducrey.

"If you fail to comply with the rules, if you - for example - refuse to take a test and don’t have an accompanying justification or break the rules when it comes to physical distancing or break any other rules presented in the playbook this would result in disciplinary consequences.

"We know already from many discussions that the organisation will come with very strict rules, and we will make sure their participants will abide by those rules."

Ducrey said about 3,000 CLOs at the Games would act as the "extended arm of the organisers" to ensure participants keep in line with the COVID-19 countermeasures.

"This will be a very critical role in each delegation where a person or persons depending on the size of the delegation has been selected to manage the implementation of the COVID-19 countermeasures within the delegation," said Ducrey.

"This means they are the ones briefing their delegation, making sure everyone knows what they are supposed to do and oversee the testing."

Ducrey said the CLO would also be responsible for informing organisers of any potential breaches of the rules.

"You cannot expect people to follow guidance if they don’t understand, hence the critical role of the CLOs," added Ducrey.

"Their role will be to explain the rules but also to monitor the behaviour of their own delegation.

"Should there be issues within their team, they are the ones to address them.

"Should anybody see something that they feel is absolutely needs to be addressed beyond the organisation’s own behaviour [rules] then there is a channel to elevate the information to the IOC via the CLO.

"We hope not to have to deal with too many cases, but if that was to be the case we will be equipped to deal with those cases under the disciplinary act."

IOC Olympic Games executive director Christophe Dubi said he was unable to give details on the scale of fines that could be handed out, insisting it was the role of the Disciplinary Commission to impose the sanctions.

Organisers have faced public opposition over the staging of the Games due to the threat of COVID-19, with Tokyo currently under a state of emergency.

Hidemasa Nakamura, delivery officer for Tokyo 2020, claims the playbooks will boost the confidence to Japanese people.

Nakamura said the Japanese Government has warned attendees at the Games could face deportation if they make a "malicious violation", including posing a "risk to somebody’s health or life".

"Having a diligent control on compliance will give safety and confidence to Japanese people," said Nakamura.

"It will also give additional confidence for athletes to be able to compete safely."

The 70-page playbook also reveals details of coronavirus testing with the creation of the Tokyo 2020 Infectious Diseases Control Centre (IDCC), IOC and IPC COVID-19 Support Unit (ICSU) and the Results Advisory Expert Group (RAEG).

The IDCC will be a "central hub" for information and management for all COVID-19 matters, including public health surveillance, screening testing, case management and incident response.

CLOs are expected to receive additional assistance from the ICSU while the RAEG will provide case assessment and protocols for "complex cases", as well as guidance on the early management of potential close contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Anyone with accreditation for Tokyo 2020 will be expected to undergo a series of COVID-19 tests during their stay in the Japanese capital ©Tokyo2020

Should Athletes' Village residents test positive - results are expected to come back within 12 hours - the infected individual will undergo a PRC test within three to five hours.

Nakamura said athletes would undergo testing at 9am or 6pm each day to ensure it would not have a "negative impact" on their performance.

There will also be temperature checks before entering venues.

Oversees attendees will also be asked not to eat, drink, smoke or brush their teeth or use mouthwash within 30 minutes of arrival when they will undergo a saliva antigen test.

The results are expected to be processed while they go through immigration and collect their luggage.

"Eighty per cent are vaccinated and have been tested twice before so we expect most of them to be negative before moving to the Olympic Village," added Nakamura.

"If they are positive, we will take them to a special clinic where we will ask them to take another PCR because it could be false positive."

Press can be expected to be tested every four days while participants who are deemed to have limited or no contact with "level one participants" will undergo a test once every seven days.

The third version of the playbook for athletes is available here.

By Geoff Berkeley 

Tokyo 2020 has accepted withdrawals from schools from its ticketing programme ©Getty Images

A number of schools have withdrawn from a programme which allows students to attend events at nearby venues at the rearranged Olympic Games in Tokyo because of COVID-19 fears.

Kyodo News reported local Governments close to the Japanese capital are among those to have pulled out of the scheme, where schools are offered Olympic tickets at a discounted price.

The programme could be scrapped entirely due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, an unnamed Metropolitan Government official told the Japanese news agency.

It would be rendered obsolete if Tokyo 2020 and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) ban all spectators from the Games.

A decision on whether fans will be able to attend, and potential capacity limits, is due to be made by the end of this month, while international spectators have already been barred because of the pandemic.

In Nakai, located in Kanagawa Prefecture, 320 elementary and junior high school students had been due to watch football and baseball matches in Yokohama before local officials withdrew from the spectator programme.

More than 5,500 tickets had initially been requested from schools in Kawagoe in Saitama Prefecture, the venue for golf at Tokyo 2020, but around 3,000 have been returned.

Tokyo 2020 could yet take place behind closed doors because of the coronavirus pandemic ©Getty Images

Olympic Minister Tamayo Marukawa revealed this week that a decision on whether to go ahead with the ticket initiative would be made once organisers had confirmed the plans on spectators attending the event.

There have been calls for the Olympics and Paralympics to be held behind closed doors to protect a Japanese public which has expressed rising opposition to the Games going ahead during a pandemic.

While a recent survey by Japanese daily newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun revealed half of respondents are in favour of holding the Olympics and Paralympics in some form, other polls have shown the public is largely in favour of cancellation.

COVID-19 cases in Tokyo and Japan have been declining in recent weeks following a spike earlier this year, but concerns remain over tens of thousands of people arriving in the country for the event.

Fears have also been expressed regarding Japan's low vaccination rate.

The IOC has claimed it expects 80 per cent of people inside the Athletes' Village to have been vaccinated or be in the process of inoculation before the Games open on July 23.

By Liam Morgan 

Ace Power Promotions in collaboration with Street Wise Promotions have organized a press conference at the Bukom Boxing Arena, Conference centre to announce their next event dubbed ‘WAR ZONE’ which will feature Ghana based Nigeria Super featherweight boxer Wahab Oluwasuen against a tough South African on July 10,2021.

According to Mr. Samir Captan, WBO Africa Representative there would be the 10 rounds WBO Africa Super Featherweight Title bout between Joshua Oluwaseun (ID# 694389)  and Anthony Moloisane (ID# 736940) as the main attraction.

Mr. Isaac Amankwah, GM of Ace Power announced that Robert Quaye (ID# 662334) will face Richard Amenfu (ID# 5872260 in a 10 rounds Super Lightweight Contest.

Daniel Aduku (ID# 379898) will meet Benjamin Ankrah (ID# 065470) in another 10 rounds Super Welterweight Contest.

Holy Dorgbetor (ID# 889887) will take on Mustapha Appiah (ID# 155991) over 10 rounds in a Featherweight Contest.

Mohammed Fuseini (ID# 907817) will take on TBA (ID#)12 for the National Super Flyweight Title Contest.

Ahmed Abdula (ID# 984096) will square up with David Okine (ID# 579344) over 6 rounds in a Light Heavyweight Contest.

Dodzi Kemeh (ID# 569267)  will fight Naimou Aziz Samson (ID# 871397) over 8 rounds in a Super Welterweight Contest.

Abraham Afful (ID# 549518) takes on TBA/ (ID#) in an 8 rounds Super Welterweight Contest.

Emmanuel Baidoo (Debut) will also meet Moses Lartey (ID# 640924) in another 8 rounds Super Welterweight Contest.

Samuel Martei Laryea will have his debut against Billy Quaye (ID# 545408) over 8 rounds in a Super Bantamweight Contest.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

Dr. Henry Manly-Spain, First Vice President of the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) on Monday met with the newly formed Professional Boxers Union.

He spoke on Branding of Ghana Boxing to attract everyone, especially sports fans and the business community.

He mentioned the new GBA TV that will support sponsorship drive and promote activities of the Ghana Boxing Authority.

Dr. Manly-Spain who would be contesting for the President position of the national boxing controlling body in the next elections promised to ensure that contracts of boxers scrutinized to ensure fairness and equity.

He urged for Discipline and Humility among boxers, as that would make them attractive and connected.

He proposed a New, Bigger Secretariat of the GBA to befit its status as a national body that has produced fantastic world champions.

The astute businessman promised to inspire and motivate boxers to achieve their aims and dreams.

He also assured to connect with international bodies like the WBC, IBF, WBA, WBO, Commonwealth Boxing Council (CBC), ABU etc to have Ghanaian boxers rated and attract big fights.

He spoke on Insurance for boxers, as the security and safety of boxers is dear to his heart.

He promised to host regular meetings with boxers and urged them to visit the GBA website, which has been improved, with exciting news and information as well as records on bouts.

Dr. Manly-Spain share his experience with Braimah Kamoko aka Bukom Banku and how he gave him quality opponents that shot him to the WBU championship title.

"You will hear more. You will know more before the election" he stated.

The boxers present include Richard Harrison, George Ashie, Obodai Sai, Daddy Lumba, Faisal Mohammed, Patrick Allotey, Patrick Okine, Albert Mensah, Emmanuel Martey, Sherrif Quaye, Jacob Dickson, Habib Ahmed, Octopus Dzanie, Dan Larbie, Dan Gosh, Isaac Sackey and Joshua Barnor just to name a few.

Spokesmen of boxers were Michael Obodai Sai, Richard Harrison, George Ashie and Bukom Banku.

The boxers complained about their contracts and some cheating match makers and promoters.

Bukom Banku asked for two buses to serve and support boxer’s welfare as well as opening of a bank account of their association.

Coach Daniel Larbie, a former boxer and daddy of young sensation, Prince ‘The Buzz’ tasked boxers to unite, just like experienced Patrick Okine who called for respect among boxers.

He advised boxers not to go for cheap bouts abroad, that tarnished the image and reputation of the nation.

Present at the meeting were Referee Roger Barnor who is going for the position of Second Vice President and Coach Carl Lokko, Ag Technical Director of the GBA.

The GBA Elections comes off on July 22 at the Trust Sports Emporium.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

Ghana’s top Weightlifter, Christian Amoah who put up a good show at African Weightlifting Competition in Kenya has qualified for the upcoming Tokyo Olympic Games.

His qualification confirmation came on Sunday, June 13, 2021 in a message from Manareddin Eshelli, Weightlifting Federation of Africa (WFA) Secretary General & Treasurer to the Ghana Weightlifting Federation (GWF) and copied to Mr. Ben Nunoo Mensah, President of the Ghana Olympic Committee and former President of the GWF

Amoah won three silver medals and garnered more points at the recent African Seniors Weightlifting Championship in Kenya.

Christian Amoah was at Rio 2016 Olympic Games and wants to better his performance with a medal for Ghana at Tokyo, Japan.

Forester Osei, another Ghanaian contender did not qualify as he could not make it to Kenya.

Christian Amoah,  who is captain of Black Cranes won the 2019 SWAG Weightlifter of the Year with 8 medals in the year under review.

Christian grabbed 3 Gold medals in the Africa Weightlifting Junior Championships in Uganda, 3 Bronze medals in the African Games in Morocco and 2 Bronze medals in African Weightlifting Championships in Egypt putting him above his colleagues and worthy of the title.

He also won medals at the World Islamic Games to earn points.

He is rated at number 4 in the current Commonwealth Games list of category 96 kg athletes.

On top is Canadian Boadv Santavv (CAN), with Don Opeloge (SAM) at second and Vikas Thakur (IND) taking the third place.

Amoah (GHA) who is at the fourth position says he is happy to be in the best 5 weight lifters in his division and the position will motivate him to grab a medal at the Olympic Games in Japan.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

Ghana’ Abeiku Jackson beat European champion Sebastian Szabo of Hungary to win the Men’s 100 Butterfly race in  53.53secs. at the Golden Orlando International Meet in Croatia.

His performance saw him breaking his national record of 53.93secs. set in March 2020 at  the CANA Zone 2 Championship in Accra, Ghana.

His time just missed the Olympic Qualifying time of 53.52secs.

Miss Farida Iddriss, an executive member of the Ghana Swimming Association said they are very happy with his wonderful performance, and prayed that he will improve in his next competition.

She wished him good luck, and assured him that the whole of Ghana is behind him.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

Black Stars players planted trees in Cape Coast on Friday as part of the Green Ghana project.

Black Stars joined the Green Ghana project as they planted trees in Cape Coast where they will playing Ivory Coast in a friendly on Saturday.

Captain Andre Ayew and other players were pictured planting trees. They were joined by the University of Cape Coast and Forestry Commission.

The Black Stars will host  Ivory Coast at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium on Saturday 12 June as part of preparations for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.

Source - HappySports

The Southern team comprising Charles Techie Menson, Victor Amartey, Stanley Ubiedi, C. M. Placca and Eugene Adjetey defeated their counterparts from the north to win the 2021 National Scrabble Championship Trophy.

They took home 1,000 Ghana Cedis plus cash on each game won and the cup.

Team skipper Charles Techie Menson, a former student of Adisadel College who is now a Risk Advisor said they really prepared and won their games in style. He expressed that it will take some months of hard training before the Northners can catch up to their level. He hoped to repeat the dose in the return encounter.

According to Charles Techie Menson, Scrabble is an interesting game and it must be promoted in the schools.

He said a good player must learn to play with words, strategise, concentrate and have luck to win.

But the Northern team made up of Alhaji Seidu, Fatau Bayeneng, Aminu Issah, Shelby Suleiman and Tony Smith said they will come back stronger to revenge.

The championship which was organized by the Scrabble Association of Ghana (SCAG) with support from Union System Global was held at the Accra Sports Stadium last Saturday.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

South Africa's kit for Tokyo 2020, produced by local company Mr Price Sport, has been unveiled ©Mr Price Sport

South Africa’s kit for the rearranged Olympic and Paralympics Games in Tokyo, designed by four young, emerging local designers from KwaZulu-Natal, has been unveiled.

Kit sponsor Mr. Price Sport has partnered with the four youngsters and revealed the bold on and off-the-field wear for the Olympic and Paralympic teams at the official kit.

The reveal was more low-key affair than originally planned due to the COVID-19 pandemic but there was no hiding the excitement among the small group of athletes who put on the kit for the first time in Durban.

This is the first time for the Olympic or Paralympic Games that South African athletes will wear kit produced locally.

The kit for Rio 2016 was made by Chinese company 361º and was criticised by athletes, officials and media who complained about its poor quality and the fact that it resembled, it was claimed, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

South Africa expects to take a team of about 140 to the Olympics and 30 to the Paralympics in the Japanese capital.

The four designers - Mbali Zulu, Nompumelelo Mjadu, Sandile Sikhakhane and Sipho Lushaba - are a product of the Durban Fashion Fair development programme which provides skills development and mentorship.

For the Opening Ceremony ensemble, the team will be wearing an animal print look, paired with vellies - leather field shoes - provided by Veldskoen.

The Mr Price Sport team were driven to use their design talent to create an iconic team kit graphic in the form of the new, large protea icon.

“To support our athletes with a kit that will make them proud to be part of team SA,” Dylan Cherry, head of marketing for Mr Price Sport, said.

“We’ve been pushed to innovate the athletes’ performance and medal ceremony kit for our athletes from locally produced super lightweight running vests with laser-cut edges and durable rugby sevens kits.

“An iconic team kit graphic in the form of the protea icon.”

The “Maxed Elite” range developed by Mr Price Sport will supply both the technical apparel required for the multiple sporting events, as well as the tracksuits worn on the podium after each event.

“It’s wonderful for Team SA to be able to showcase the incredible talent of these four young designers on the biggest sports stage of all,” said South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee President, Barry Hendricks.

“We are thankful for the opportunity to put their work on the global map.

“Our Team SA athletes will wear the kit with pride and the way they look, and dress will be eye-catching to the rest of the competing nations."

By Duncan Mackay