Tokyo 2020 organisers are reportedly set to increase testing frequency for the Games ©Getty Images

Athletes could be tested for coronavirus every day at this year's rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics with organisers reportedly looking to use saliva-based tests to spot possible infections.

Citing "officials with knowledge of the planning", Japanese news agency Kyodo News reports that competitors can expect to undergo COVID-19 tests on a daily basis.

Under current coronavirus guidelines set out by Tokyo 2020 and the Japanese Government, athletes are expected to be tested every four days.

But following the emergence of more transmissible variants, organisers are now set to increase the testing frequency.

Kyodo News understands the new ruling will be included in the second edition of the Tokyo 2020 playbook which is expected to be released next week.

Speaking last month, Tokyo 2020 President Seiko Hashimoto revealed that International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach had called on organisers to implement a stricter testing protocol to combat the virus.

"From the athletes' perspective, I think it's better that testing rules are strict to begin with rather than having a change in protocols announced midway through [the Games]," said Hashimoto in a report by Kyodo News.

"We do need to think about [increasing testing frequency)."

There is growing speculation in Japan that another state of emergency could be declared in Tokyo amid concerns over rising coronavirus cases.

According to reports, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said he was considering increasing COVID-19 measures in the capital but insisted they would not impact on the staging of the Games which is scheduled to start in less than 100 days.

It is reported that competitors will be largely tested at the Athletes' Village with saliva-based tests carried out under surveillance to ensure there is no sample switching.

Saliva testing is seen as less invasive than nose and throat swabs which are usually done to detect COVID-19 infections.

According to Kyodo News, Tokyo 2020 organisers are believed to be considering whether to use antigen or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests to analyse the samples.

It is also reported that athletes could be exempt from undergoing tests on the day of a competition, while those with symptoms are expected to undergo PCR testing.

By Geoff Berkeley

The Ghana National Boxing Team, Black Bombers who have qualified to represent Ghana at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games were at the Bukom Boxing Arena last Saturday to show their stuff to some lucky boxing fans.

The team led by Coach Ofori Asare with the support of his assistants Lartekwei Lartey and Vincent Akai – Nettey directed the three top amateur boxing  to display what they have learnt during their non residential camping.

Experienced captain Sulemanu Tetteh, Youthful cum confident Samuel Takyi aka ‘Ring Warrior’ and the ‘Beast’ Shakur Samed thrilled the few lucky boxing fans with rich quality boxing; in defending and attacking combined with straight punching upper cuts, hooks and ducking.

Their show kept the boxing fans clapping and enjoying themselves throughout.

The qualified trio said they are going to Tokyo, Japan to make history and bring glory to mother Ghana.

They acknowledged that it has been a very long time since Ghana won an Olympic Medal, and they are going all out to reach the medal zone and win the ultimate.

The Bombers would soon move to residential camping and fly to Inawashiro for final camping and preparation ahead of the Games.

The Olympic Games would be held from July 28 to August 8, 2021 in Japan.

Female boxers, Sarah Apau and Faruiza Osman also displayed to the admiration of the fans who came to watch the Winbase promotion dubbed ‘James Town Fight Night – Road To Glory’.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

Ghanaian business magnate, founder and chief executive officer of McDan Group of Companies, Daniel McKorley has been named as Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee for the newly established U-17 Inter Club Champions League and Inter Regional Challenge Cup.

He chairs a nine-member Committee that have been tasked to ensure effective organization of the competitions which will take place across the country in September and October 2021.

Among their responsibilities will be to raise the needed funds to manage the competition, suggest format/competition rules to the Executive Council for approval and the general planning and management of the two juvenile tournaments. The new competition is to unearth talents at the juvenile level.

Here is the full list of members of the committee;

Dr. Daniel McKorley - Chairman

Kudjo Fianoo - Vice Chairman

Michael Fiaduse - Member

Waisu Ali Mohammed - Member

Eugene Jacquaye - Member

Amidu Abdulai - Member

Augustine Arhinful - Member

Sulley Sheriff - Member

Inusah Ahmed - Member

GFA COMMUNICATIONS

The Ghana Football Association is set to launch the 2020/21 Juvenile Football league season.

The launch is scheduled for Wednesday, April 28, 2021, at the GFA Secretariat in Accra.

Juvenile football which is the backbone of every football nation has been dormant for some time now due to varied reasons – but the competition is expected to be revitalised in the coming days.

The Juvenile Committee is expected to come up with a well-structured programme and policy to bolster the management and revamping of juvenile football across the country. The 2020/21 Juvenile football League will commence on the weekend of May, 7/8/9 2021.

GFA COMMUNICATIONS

Ghana Premier League top star, Gladson Awako of Accra Great Olympics is very happy to once again see football fans at the stadia for the ongoing Ghana Premier League season.

Ghana’s Ministry of Youth and Sports on Friday granted approval for 25 percent of football fans to return to various stadiums to watch matches across the country, a statement released here by the ministry said.

The decision follows several deliberations between the sports ministry, the Ghana Football Association (GFA), the national COVID-19 task force, and other stakeholders concerned, it said.

National COVID-19 safety protocols and the GFA match day COVID-19 protocols should still be observed, it added.

Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo announced a ban on football fans at the various league centers to watch matches last year as part of measures to contain the spread of the pandemic.

According to Awako who is captain of Wonder club, Accra Great Olympics, they are very happy having the fans once again behind the club..

The AGOSU lads are currently placed second on the league table after playing 20 games in the ongoing Ghana Premier League season.

Teshie based Gladson Awako took to his social media handle to welcome the fans back at various stadium.

From Sammy Heywood Okine

Jose Mourinho is one of Europe's most successful club managers, but his trajectory at Tottenham Hotspur tracked a wearily familiar arc of initial promise followed by bitter recrimination.

For the first time since the early years of his managerial career in Portugal, the self-declared "Special One" leaves a club without silverware after he was sacked by Spurs on Monday.

The timing was a surprise coming less than a week before Tottenham have a chance to break their 13-year barren run, in Sunday's League Cup final against Manchester City.

But notably, it came the day after the London club controversially set out its intent to join others in a breakaway European super league, with chairman Daniel Levy unhappy at how Spurs have become Premiership also-rans under Mourinho.

Yet again, the famously outspoken 58-year-old leaves under a shadow -- at odds with senior players, with the media, and with fans.

A serial winner across Europe, Mourinho arrived at Spurs 17 months ago with a point to prove after his reputation was tarnished by a more than two-year spell in charge of Manchester United.

Tottenham's swashbuckling credo is "to dare is to do". But fans hungry for success swallowed their initial misgivings over the appointment of a coach who was ruthlessly pragmatic in his style of play.

"It's not important how we play. If you have a Ferrari and I have a small car, to beat you in a race I have to break your wheel or put sugar in your tank," he had said in 2010.

While he claimed three trophies at Old Trafford, including the 2017 Europa League, the end came with a dismal run of results and high-profile disagreements with players.

Much the same dynamic had played out in previous spells at Chelsea and Real Madrid, marked also by running feuds with opposition managers and the press, and a surly unwillingness to admit any shortcomings.

Despite brief periods of optimism this season at Tottenham, including beating United 6-1 at Old Trafford and briefly topping the Premier League table, a barren 2021 has seen the team repeatedly squander winning positions.

'Don't call me arrogant'

After a brief and undistinguished playing career in Portugal, Mourinho's road to managerial success was paved by the arrival in 1992 of Englishman Bobby Robson to take charge of Sporting Lisbon.

Robson appointed the young sports science graduate as his interpreter, and Mourinho followed the former England manager to successive positions at Porto and Barcelona, becoming assistant coach.

By 2002, Mourinho had experience of the managerial hot-seat in his own right during spells at Benfica and Uniao de Leiria. But it was at Porto that his career truly took off.

In the first knockout round of the 2003-04 Champions League, Porto beat Manchester United with a last-minute goal, and Mourinho announced himself on the European stage by running dramatically from his dug-out to celebrate wildly with his players.

The Portuguese club went on to beat Monaco in the final, and Mourinho was now in the sights of Chelsea's ambitious new owner, Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich.

Mourinho paid short shrift to any notion that he might take time acclimatising to England's ferociously competitive footballing scene.

"Please don't call me arrogant, but I'm European champion and I think I'm a special one," he said after taking over as Chelsea boss.

The 'Happy One'

He put Abramovich's billions to spectacular use to end the Arsenal-Manchester United duopoly, winning the Premier League title in his first season and repeating the feat the following year before things turned sour.

Next stop was Inter Milan, who became the first Italian side to complete the treble of league, cup and Champions League.

At Real Madrid, he tussled with Pep Guardiola's great Barcelona side, winning the league title in 2012. But he failed to lead them to European glory, the benchmark of success for Real.

In June 2013, Chelsea appointed Mourinho -- now the "Happy One" -- as manager for the second time.

He won a third Premier League title in his second season in charge, before a poor start to the next campaign cost him his job.

Even though he failed to win the league title at Manchester United, he still added the Europa League and the League Cup to United's groaning trophy cabinet, before falling out with senior squad members and the club's directors.

And with his stormy time in North London also now cut brutally short, Mourinho is in unknown territory, a managerial failure for the first time since leaving Portugal.

AFP

The Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) on Tuesday, April 20^th 2021 presented an undisclosed amount of money to the parents of the late Emmanuel Ontumi, the former administrative assistant who passed on at the Winneba Traumer Hospital on Thursday, 25th February, 2021 after a short illness.

The President of the GOC, Mr. Ben Nunoo Mensah and some members of the newly elected Executive Board; Madam Delphina Quaye Vice President of Ghana Swimming, Mr. Albert Frimpong President of Ghana Baseball and Mr. Haye Yartey President of Ghana Bodybuilding & Fitness made the presentation to Mr. Emmanuel Erasmus Ontuni Snr. and Madam Mercy Amanor  towards the funeral.

The GOC President said the late Emmanuel was a special person who God gave to serve the national sports body, and he did his job excellently without any fault, but with dignity and cheerfulness. He declared that the Good Lord has prepared a special place for him.

The hard working administrative assistant also called Nana Yaw and ‘Makaveli’ who was the dispatch rider of the GOC during the reign of Mr. Ben Nunoo Mensah was 42 years old.

He served the GOC for 21 solid years, working loyally and dedicatedly during the eras of Mr. Peter Kpordugbe, Hon. B.T. Baba, Prof. Francis Dodoo and Ben Nunoo Mensah.

He left behind his parents, wife and 13 year old son.

Burial takes place on May 1, 2021 at Ofankor Kasoa (Alico) Cemetery after funeral rites at the Church of Christ, Ofankor Kasoa.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

Let’s eliminate all kinds of speculation and malicious  Propaganda – NPC Secretary General

The National Paralympic Committee of Ghana (NPC-Ghana) extends warm greetings to you all.

After an informed and critical analysis of recent issues, and following consultation on better governance, we wish to highlight the following;

1. Majority of people in Ghana and abroad fall victim to misinformation and propaganda due to the fact that there is no credible access to direct information.

2. Even with availability of information on relevant and credible platforms such as the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) website, the information is sometimes misinterpreted.

3. For better media engagement and coverage it is important to have a channel that information can be accessed easily and updated frequently.

It is on this premise that as the Secretary General of the NPC-Ghana with the endorsement of NPC Ghana Executive has decided to have an occasional update on all the dealings of NPC-Ghana in the

development and promotion of Para Sports and the Paralympic movement in the country. This will engulf all issues but tailored to the most pressing at any particular moment.

Currently, with the upcoming Tokyo Paralympic games, kindly receive the following attached information on qualifications in the official NPC-Ghana bi-weekly updates.

We also welcome you to get in touch with us via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to highlight any specific topics that you wish to feature in the bi weekly updates. This will help us to better schedule and

address all issues. It will equally foster transparency and eliminate all kinds of speculation and malicious

propaganda.

Source - Peter Adjei (Secretary General NPC Ghana)

The President and Founder of the Achievers Supporters Union (ASU), Abigail Twumasiwaa Okanta, on behalf  of the association, has congratulated Mr. Ben Nunoo Mensah on his re-election as President of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC).

In a statement released on Monday, Abigail Twumasiwaa Okanta, who doubles as the Organising Secretary of the Greater Accra Women's Sports Association of Ghana (WOSPAG), promised her outfit's unflinching support for the GOC President during his second term in office.

"Having followed with keen interest your achievement and exploits, the Association is exceptionally proud to identify with you, and have therefore vouched to extend it's fullest support for any activity that the GOC may undertake", the statement read.

It continued: "It is also the hope of the Association that under your enviable leadership, Ghana will excel tremendously with medals in the upcoming 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games".

"Indeed, this brings refreshing memories of the many laurels you chalked during your Presidency with the Weightlifting Federation of Ghana", the statement added

The Association ask for God's guidance and support in all your tenure of office, and entreat you to count of our unflinching support with optimism. Once again we say Congratulations", the statement concluded.

By Beatrice Laryea

TOR Tennis Club Captain- Ismaila Lamptey on Saturday teamed up with inform Bernard Nii Bortey to capture the 2021 Accra City Open men’s 30 - 39 title. The pair won 5-7, 7-6(5) 10-4 against Ho tennis club’s chairman Cyril Bansah and George Heckson.

Nii Bortey lost his serve as Heckson and Bansah, took the opening set. Nii Bortey and Lamptey began to exert more pressure and broke in the fifth game on the way to the second set. Lamptey was serving for victory at 6-5 up in the second set. But failed to hold serve as he was broken for the first time in the match as Bansah and Heckson gave themselves hope. But Nii Bortey and Lamptey immediately broke back to push the game to a tie-break before the latter comfortably held on to his serve to complete the victory.

In the final set, Lamptey started to raise his game to that of his teammate Nii Bortey and broke Heckson’s serve, to lead 2-1 and continue with some superb volleys and drop shots to win the game 10-4.

Speaking after the game, Nii Bortey and Lamptey said, "I think the advantage we have is, a lot of people change partners for tournaments. We know each other extremely well and I do not think it's going to take long for us to click.

In other games: US based Michael Nortey combined beautifully with Amoako Boafo to oust Albert Arthur and Raymond Hayford 3-6, 6-2 10-8 in the semi-pro division. Lawrence Lartey won the men’s 50 to 59 category as he and Dr. Maxwell Adjei beat Henry Nortey and David Carreras 6-4, 6-4.

Joe Paddymo with his partner Nana Yaw Ampaw won the men’s 60 to 69 event, beating Paa Grant and Bob Williams 7-6(4), 6-2. In the men’s 40 to 49 years; Ohene Amoako- Oppong combined nicely with Seth Agbamey to outwit William Amoo and Richard Borluvi 6-0, 6-2.

 The women’s doubles saw Eugenia Asigri winning the women’s title with Afia Oforiwaa after overcoming Adwoa Abrokwa and her partner Naa Shika Adu 6-1, 6-7(5), 10- 3. Faustina Tagoe and Augustina Yamak won the women’s 40 category title after defeating Mariam Mamoud and Evelyn Enunwah

9-5. Benjamin Ababio and Annette Cruickshank won the mixed doubles title ousting past Faustina Tagoe and Theophilus Teye 6-2 2-6 10-3

The Weeklong doubles tournament were Sponsored by GOIL Company Limited Baboo Sports, Amoako Boafo, Soul Restaurant and Bar, Kyebi and Accra City Hotel

Story: Gabreil Amoakoh