Ghana has been invited to participate in the 8th African Tug of War  Championships in Namibia on 16 – 17 July 2021. The event will take place in Swakopmund, Namibia

A letter issued on 16 March 2021 and signed by Francois Heyns, the Namibia representative to all African Tug of War Federation member countries invites Ghana to the African Championships, which will be held in Swakopmund, Namibia on 16 – 17 July 2021.

The President of the Ghana Tug of War Association, Mr. Emmanuel Olla Williams said Ghana has organized several local competitions in five regions, and it is time the nation gains international exposure and experience.

He commended the Mayor of Accra, Hon. Mohammed Adjei Sowah and the CEO of the Coastal Development Authority (CODA) Hon Jerry Ahmed Shaib who is now the Deputy Secretary General of the Ghana Olympic Committee for supporting the Coastal Strength Challenge which brought much fun, entertainment and unity to Bukom, Chorkor, Koforidua and other places.

He appealed to them and corporate Ghana to sponsor Ghana’s team to the African Championship as a step in creating opportunity for Ghana to add Tug of War to the disciplines for African Games to be hosted by Ghana in 2023.

“I know Ghana can perform well because we have the men and women, as well as the skill and interest” said Olla Williams who is also the Youth Coordinator of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC).

About the Event

The 8th Annual African Tug-of-War Championships. Currently there are 73 countries in the World affiliated to the Tug-of-War International Federation (TWIF) - 13 of these countries are African countries.

In 2012, the 1st African Championships was instituted and hosted by South Africa. Since then, the Championships have rotated on an annual basis amongst member countries, mostly in the SADC region.

Tug-of-War on the African continent is coordinated by the African Tug-of-War Forum, consisting of the Presidents of the Tug-of-War Federations in the respective countries. The forum is aware that Tug-of-War is still being enjoyed as a sport in Namibia and decided to, in order to "revive" the sport in Namibia, to approach the Namibian authorities requesting them to play host to the 9th annual African Tug-of[1]War Championships.

The African Championships consists of two components - an African "Open" Club  Championships where any club of any country can participate; and the African Championships itself, where the national teams of the respective countries

participate.

The following categories will be participated in (in both the African Club Championships as well as the African International Championships): 640 kg Men, 520 kg Ladies, 580 kg Mix (4 men, 4 ladies), 720 kg Men and 560 kg Ladies

The competition will be adjudicated by TWIF Officials as well as Grade 1 Officials from the participating countries.

It is further planned to conduct an Officials course as well as a Coaches course just prior to the competition. A training camp for developing teams is also being

planned.

Venue

Vineta North Sports Field, Swakopmund, Namibia

Teams / Participants

The following countries have already expressed their intention to participate: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya, Nigeria and Lesotho National Defence Force. Botswana and Tanzania must still commit.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

The Bureau of the FIFA Council took the following decisions concerning the governance of two member associations.

Suspension of the Chadian Football Association The Bureau of the FIFA Council decided to suspend the Chadian Football Association (FTFA) with immediate effect due to government interference.

The suspension was prompted by the recent decisions of Chadian government authorities to permanently withdraw the powers delegated to the FTFA, establish a national committee for the temporary management of football and seize control of the FTFA’s premises.

The suspension will be lifted once the relevant government decisions have been repealed and the FTFA and its management, led by President Moctar Mahamoud Hamid, have confirmed to FIFA that the FTFA premises are again under its control.

Suspension of the Pakistan Football Federation The Bureau of the FIFA Council suspended the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) with immediate effect due to third-party interference, which constitutes a serious violation of the FIFA Statutes.

This situation was prompted by the recent hostile takeover of the PFF headquarters in Lahore by a group of protestors and an alleged decision by certain individuals to remove the FIFA-appointed normalisation committee of the PFF led by Haroon Malik and to hand over the leadership of the PFF to Syed Ashfaq Hussain Shah.

FIFA issued a letter warning that, should the illegitimate occupation of the PFF headquarters not be lifted and the office bearers recognised by FIFA not be permitted free access to the building to carry out their mandate, the matter would be immediately submitted to the Bureau of the Council for decision.

As the situation remains unchanged, the Bureau of the Council has decided to suspend the PFF.

This suspension will only be lifted once FIFA has received confirmation from the normalisation committee of the PFF that the PFF’s premises, accounts, administration, and communication channels are again under its full control and it can continue to carry out its mandate without further hindrance.

AIPS

All competitions to be organised in Ghana for the 2021 season. List of Upcoming Races in Ghana 2021 Season.

These are the confirmed races for the 2021 season in Ghana, West Africa. The list will be updated frequently as well. This will help you prepare for the season and choose the type of races ahead. Attached is the race, place and date. The organizer’s contacts will be updated and how to register for each race.

1. Under Distance, Track&Field, Kumasi, 30th January, organized by Ghana Athletics ASSOCIATION. ?CANCELED?
2. Ashanti Regional Association, Track&Field, Baba Yara Sports Stadium ?POSTPONED?
3. National Cross Country, Sefwi Wiawso, Western North Region. 18th-20th February. ?Done?

3.1. Open Championship (Cross-Country), Accra, Greater Accra by Ghana Athletics Association. 20th February. ?Done?

4. Hohoe Half Marathon & 5km, Hohoe, Volta Region. (Name & date to be changed). ?POSTPONED?
5. Open Championship, Track&Field, Kumasi, Ashanti Region. 26th March, by Ghana Athletics Association.?Done?
6. Kumasi Open, Track&Field, Kumasi, Ashanti Region. 17th April, by Ghana Athletics Association.

7.Kwahu Half Marathon, Kwahu, Eastern Region. 3rd April. ⚠️CANCELLED⚠️

8. Aboakyri Half Marathon, Winneba, Central Region. May ⚠️CANCELLED⚠️
9. Ashiyie Half Marathon (21k,15k, 5k & 3k)

Adenta – Ashiyie, Accra, Greater Accra Region. 1st May.

9. National Circuit Championship, Essipong, Western Region. 7th-8th May, by Ghana Athletics Association.
10. National Championship, CapeCoast, Central Region. 19th-23rd May, by Ghana Athletics Association.
11. Accra International Marathon, Accra, Greater Accra Region,(5km,10km,21km & 42km). Date to be confirmed.
12. Daakye-Tod Half Marathon, Agona Swedru, Central Region. August……
13. Kwahu Wicked Marathon, Kwahu, Eastern Region. September……..
14. Millennium Marathon, Accra, Greater Accra Region, (21km, 5km). 4th September.
15. Asogli State International Half Marathon ( #ASIHM ) , Ho, Volta Region. September…
16. Ghana Fastest Human Program, Track and Field…. (it has 3 dates to be updated) Click Here to Register
17. Sekondi-Takoradi Half Marathon, ( #STM ) Sekondi Takoradi, Western Region. December…..

First Vice President of the Ghana Olympic Committee, Mr. Paul Atchoe  has disclosed that plans are advanced to adequately prepare the national sportsmen and women who would represent Ghana at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

He said the GOC has a plan of pre-camping in the best facilities, insurance packages, medicals and qualification bonuses.

According to the experienced ex volleyball star and sports administrator, the Black Bombers will be camping at the Holy Trinity Spa at Sogakope.

The camping  and remuneration for the boxers is key on the program of the GOC and Paul Atchoe who is Chairman of the Technical Sub Committee of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Working Committee announced to the boxers at a recent visit at the Accra Sports Stadium which has raised  their morale.

The boxers are confident of winning medals for mother Ghana.

President Mr. George Lamptey, Head Coach Ofori Asare and Vice President of Amateur Boxing Federation Mr. Abdul Samadu Mohammed are delighted by the package of the Ghana Olympic Committee and promised to motivate the boxers not to let the nation down.

Three boxers have so far qualified for Tokyo. They are flyweight Sulamanu Tetteh, featherweight Samuel Takyi and lightheavyweight Shakur Samed.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

The University of Ghana, Legon Sports Stadium will be the action spot on Saturday April 10, 2021 when the GNPC Ghana’s Fastest Human (Accra Edition) takes place.

Due to Covid -19, the competition could not be held last year, but as all the health and safety protocols can be met, the biggest athletics event since the Mobil Games is going to be exciting.

The organisers have promised to put up another good programme.

Aside the sponsors who ensure that the event comes on, the main actors are the athletes, and the big question is who will be crowned GNPC Ghana’s Fastest Human for 2021 – The Olympic Year.

Some of the sprinters that pop up are on the local scene are Sarfo Ansah, Edwin Gadayi, Barnabas Aggerh  Grace Obuor and Kate Agyeman.

But there is always a surprise, and Yours Truly will not be shocked if an unknown person comes on the win the President Nana Akufo Addo Cup.

To spice up the programme, the organisers are adding the T54 100m wheelchair race to help our two disabled stars to qualify for the Tokyo Paralympic Games.

SWAG Sports Personality of the year Raphael Botsyo Nkegbe and Maclean Atsu Dzidzienyo will race in between the races.

As a compliment to covid requirements, there will be no Under 10 and Under 15.  Athletes registration will be in the morning and races are from 1 to 3pm in the afternoon.

The event is sponsored by GNPC, Adidas, GCB, Kriate Lync, Wrenco and Global Media Alliance.

Reks Brobbey, deputy chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 2032 African Games is the brain behind it, He is also a former Ghana sprinter who represented Ghana at the Olympic Games.

Sammy Heywood Okine

G.O. Tennis Club on Sunday held an induction ceremony in honor of Mr. Maxwell Owusu as the “Noble Patron” for his selfless dedication towards the development and promotion of G.O Tennis Club.

G.O. Tennis Club has for the past few years developed to become one of the most vibrant tennis clubs in Sunyani and this latest inductee is expected to help propel the club to even greater heights.

Speaking on behalf of the President of G.O. Tennis Club;Mr. Thomas Asarpong

said the appointment of Mr. Maxwell Owusu as the new club patron will strategically position the club in the eyes of corporate society to which the new patron is strongly linked.

Head Coach of G.O. Tennis Club Daniel Kwakye ‘Great Okoro’ also added that the efforts and contributions of Mr. Maxwell Owusu to the club have led to the realization of many more memberships.

Mr. Abraham Ben Moshe was also awarded as the “the Great speaker of our time” for his inspirational teachings to the younger generation.

Present for the inductee event included: Acting President Mr. Alex Donkor and vice; Dr.John Otu,  Thomas Asapong, , Pastor Annor,Mark Gyan and Asakpo Emmanuel.

The rest are Dr. Phillip Mantey, Richard Andoh, Abuabasa Maxlon, Richmond Owusu, Felix Sarfo, Barbara Koduah, Mrs. Diana Serwaa Kwakye and Fatimah Emahi, Solomon Nyeme and Akwasi Agyeman Abrebrese.

Story: Gabriel Amoakoh

The National Paralympic Committee (NPC) of Ghana has invited six top para athletes and a coach for camping at Cape Coast from April 9^th 2021 to May 2^nd 2021.

A letter signed by Mr. Peter Adjei, General Secretary of the NPC said the camping is part of the planned path way towards Ghana’s preparations for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

He said the NPC is working tirelessly to arrange for the para athletes to take part in the Paris Grand Prix in June.

According to him, however not all of them will get the opportunity for the Paris trip as only five slots are available, and one must go to a female.

The selected national para athletes who are to report to Cape Coast on 9^th April at 4pm are: Zinabu Issah -  Discuss / Shot Putt (F55), Botsyo Nkegbe - 100m F54, Felix Acheampong – 800m / 1500m (T54), Patrick Yaw Obeng - 800m / 1500m (T54), Mclean Atsu Dzidzienyo - 200m / 400m (T53), Yusif Amadu -High Jump (T42) and Emmanuel Anum Sowah – Coach.

Mr. Samson Deen, President of the NPC Ghana said every effort is being made to make the para athletes comfortable to have a sound mind and the motivation and inspiration to perform well.

He expressed that Ghana is hoping to win a medal at Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

The Tokyo Olympics will not see North Korea participating

North Korea has announced it will not take part in the Tokyo Olympics this year, saying the decision is to protect its athletes from Covid-19.

The decision puts an end to South Korea’s hopes of using the Games to engage with the North amid stalled cross-border talks.

In 2018, both sides entered a joint team at the Winter Olympics which led to a series of historic summits.

Pyongyang says it has no cases of the virus but experts say this is unlikely.

The country’s health system is thought to be completely inadequate for dealing with the Covid pandemic, the BBC’s Tokyo Correspondent Rupert Wingfield-Hayes reports.

The announcement makes North Korea the first major country to skip the delayed 2020 Games because of the pandemic. The event is due to begin on 23 July.

This will be the first time North Korea has missed a Summer Olympics since 1988, when it boycotted the Seoul Games during the Cold War.

Hopes dashed

The decision was made at an Olympic committee meeting on 25 March, according to a report by the state-run site Sports in the DPRK.

North Korea has taken stringent measures against the virus since it broke out last year.

It shut its borders in late January and later quarantined hundreds of foreigners in its capital.

Since early last year, trains and wagons have been forbidden to enter or leave North Korea, with most international passenger flights stopped as well.

There were hopes from South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in that the Games could be a catalyst for progress between both Koreas.

That had been the case in 2018, when North Korea sent 22 athletes to the Winter Olympics in South Korea, along with government officials, journalists and a 230-member cheering group.

Among the contingent was North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s sister, Kim Yo-jong – a move which helped it initiate diplomacy with South Korea and the US.

Kim Yo Jong (R, the sister of the North Korean leader) shakes hand with South Korea"s President Moon Jae-in during the opening ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Pyeongchang Stadium on February 9, 2018.

image captionAt the 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony, South Korean President Moon Jae-in (left) met Kim Yo-jong (right), sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un

The talks that followed led to a series of historic, high-profile meetings between the North Korean leader and former US President Donald Trump.

There were hopes for improved relations after the meetings, but nothing materialised and the atmosphere has since deteriorated.

North and South Korea are technically still at war because no peace treaty was signed when the Korean War ended in 1953.

Japan’s Covid concerns

Meanwhile, in Japan, an Olympic preparatory event was cancelled after Covid infections broke out at a training camp for the Japanese water polo team – with seven people testing positive for the virus.

It follows the announcement that the Osaka leg of the Olympic torch relay will be cancelled after infections in the city hit record highs.

There have been growing concerns in Japan that more infectious strains of the virus could be driving a potential fourth Covid wave in the country.

Source - BBC

The new 100 meters record holder in Ghana, Benjamin Azamati has broken the West Texas A&M 200m record after running 20.52s at the Jo Meaker Classic & Multi in Canyon.

Seven days after breaking Ghana’s 22-year-old 100m record, rising sprint star Benjamin Azamati, a former University of Ghana student has smashed another record in the USA.

In just his second outdoor race of his career, the Tokyo Olympic Games bound sprinter set his sights on another record-smashing run and delivered on the final day of the JO Meaker meet as he went past the record of 20.71s set by American Quinton Sansing who tied the school record at the last Leon Star Conference Championships.

Though Azamati’s time is some seconds off Ghana’s 200m record set by Joseph Paul, he has recorded the fastest time in NCAA Division II this year and now one of three Buffs to run under 21 seconds in the program’s history, joining Kenny Jackson and Quinton Sansing.

The feat caps a very good few months for Azaamati who set records in both the 60m and the 200m at the Lone Star Conference Championships to lead the West Texas A&M athletics team to their third LSC Championship title at Lubbock back in February.

From Sammy Heywood Okine

Top government officials and business executives who have sports at heart have been invited to grace the Accra Edition of the 2020/21 GNPC Ghana's Fastest Human event at the University of Ghana Stadium at Okponglo, Legon on Saturday, April 10, 2021.

Nana Bediatuo Asante, Secretary to the President, HE Nana Akufo Addo has been invited as Special Guest of Honour together with Dr. Kwame Baah Nuakoh, General Manager, Sustainability, GNPC who will chair the occasion and Ben K.D. Asante, MD of Ghana Gas, the Guest of Honour.

Top executives of the sponsors and sports personalities including the President of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) will be around to support and cheer the athletes who have dreams of competing at the Olympic Games.

The most exciting athletics competition in the country, GNPC Ghana’s Fastest Human comes to the capital city, and student sprinters in the schools and colleges, as well as individuals in the communities are delighted to compete.

According to the organisers, all Covid – 19 safety measures and health protocols will be put in place.

They only two competitions will come off this year and the Accra Edition is expected to be a thriller.

Registration has began and will close on Thursday 8th April 2021.

Participants must bring evidence to provide your date of birth and be in the appropriate gear. Please note that the event is Free.

The competition is also for young males and females under 18 and over 18 sprinters and 200 meters has been added. At stake at the grand final is President Nana Akufo Addo’s cup.

The GFH competition which intends to unearth top sprinters for Ghana to participate in the Olympic Games is sponsored by GNPC, Adidas, GCB, Kriate Lync, Wrenco and Global Media Alliance.

Mr. Reks Brobbey, an Olympian is the brain behind the competition which has produced Ghana’s current best sprinter and 100 meters record holder, Benjamin Azamati.

The Deputy Operating Officer of the Local Organising Committee of the 2023 African Games to be hosted in Ghana said the event will be reported live radio by Joe Addo and his ArchAfrika crew, plus amazing grills on offer by Elizas Jamrock restaurant.

By Sammy Heywood Okine