Athletics: GAA, will it ever learn?

With just two weeks to go prior to the All-African games, the GAA true to its past reputation seems bent on making sure that there is as much upheaval amongst the athletes as possible. What is wrong with this association? Why on earth will any analytical individual or assciation advocate to change the composition of a team that performed better than any other Ghanaian team has during the recent World Championships in athletics? Since the GAA has initiated this mud slinging, then a clearer picture needs to be painted for the public to judge.

Dr Owusu-Ansah, contrary to what the GAA claims has been a savior for the athletes of Ghana and prevented the GAA from obvious shame. Let’s back track. Most people have by now forgotten that this same GAA selected a team of athletes, for the 2002 Commonwealth Games, that was reject by the athletes on THREE different occasions. Have we forgotten so soon that theses same officials initially left Owusu and Nkansah off the team and chose others who were yet to compete? Did Owusu not finish 4^th in Manchester? Why did the GAA want to him out? 

The GAA is taking credit for the successful performance of the athletes during the recent 2003 Athletics World Championships in Paris. Again, Dr Owusu-Ansah saved the reputation of the nation by insisting on a team that faired better than any previous team. How? The GAA is its wisdom only wanted to send 6 athletes to Paris despite the fact that Ghana had 9 qualifiers. Once more, two athletes where left out of the initial selection. Owusu and Akosua Serwah were not selected. Why? It has been confirmed that the GAA for all it’s so called authority and know how in the selection of teams, could not interpret the qualification rules of the IAAF and thus, wrongly left out Owusu and Serwah. According to Andrew Owusu, he had to provided a document from the IAAF which indicated that he and Serwah were eligible to compete.......the GAA then said it had no money. 

Amanfo, Serwah and Owusu not only made it to Paris as a result of Dr Owusu-Ansah’s intervention, but ended up  among the TOP 8 IN THE WORLD within their respective events. How can the GAA accuse the NSC boss of interference when his respective actions have ensured that Ghana received the best representation possible for the money invested?  In case you are wondering, Serwah and Owusu paid, out of pocket to attend the World Championships. I am yet to hear about the GAA insisting on ticket refunds for these deserving athletes. Does the GAA ever learn?

By virtue of Dr Owusu-Ansah intervening on behalf of the athletes, the nine athletes produced Ghana's best ever results for a World Championships showing.  

• 3 finalists (Gaisah, Owusu, and Serwah)
• 3 semi-finalists (Nkansah, Anim and 4X100m....Aziz, Nsiah, Myles-Mills, Nkansah)
• 1 quarter finalist (Myles-Mills)

Now they have turned on Leonard Myles-Mills who has done nothing wrong. How can it be that “Mr. Lutterodt had earlier told the Graphic Sports that Myles-Mills had been dropped because his performance fell below expectation”. You be the judge.

It does not take a genius to see that something “fishy is cooking”. How can anybody or association justify dropping Ghana’s 3^rd fastest athlete for the 2003 season from the relay team to Abuja? What about recent performance? Think about this: Leo run 10.25 sec in Paris reaching the quarterfinals in the 100m. Is that not more than 0.20 sec faster than what the 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th place athlete has run this year?

“Inside sources reveal that the athletics chiefs are uncomfortable with the 100m men’s national record holder who is accused of always causing unrest in camp during such international competitions. This, they claim, also played a role in Ghana’s dismal performance in the 4x100m relay at the recent World Athletics Championship in Paris”

How can the “Athletics Bosses” make any judgment about a group of athletes for whom they care nothing about? According to sources, Nkansah, Aziz, Leo and Nsiah, with the organizational work of Owusu managed to get together to train for a week prior to the world Championships in Paris. During training, Ernest Osei practiced with them and earned the admiration of his seniors as a viable alternate on the relay team. The athletes tried to get Osei brought in to Paris but were denied by the GAA …………no money. After Paris, some of the athletes expressed concern over the fact that they wanted Osei in Abuja as an alternate. This is because other members of the relay team will be competing in the 100m and 200m in Abuja and may be too tired to partake in the early rounds of the 4 X 100m. Rather than listen to the athletes and insisted on the inclusion of Osei, the GAA decided to take the “low road” by calling for the removal of Leonard Myles-Mills claiming team cohesion was at stake.

According to sources and the athletes, it sees Dr. Owusu-Ansah saved the day again for Ghana Athletics by taking the initiative to investigate why Leo was being dropped. He talked to members of the Ghana Athletes Association to find out if they had called for the removal of Leo. To his surprise the athletes threatened to boycott the Games if Leo was dropped from the team. They cited the need for a reserve runner in and not the removal of Leo who had earned every right to be in Abuja via his performance. Dr Owusu-Ansah saved the nation from another embarrassing standoff between the athletes and the GAA.

SS Athuahene, still sits in Accra Sports stadium as the Chief coach. How come that he gets to travel despite his fraudulent activities and implication in the visa for cash scandal from last year? If he, despite his fraudulent activity can represent Ghana, then the GAA has no business trying to kick out Myles-Mills. After all, he has run faster than any Ghanaian in history and as long has he is ranked in the top 6 in the nation; he should on the flight to Abuja before any member of the GAA. 

Perhaps, it is members of the GAA that need to be dropped from the team to Abuja. After all, the athletes turned in the best ever performance in Paris without a coach and only one official. Who needs officials when their presence is a distraction to the much needed peace and tranquility prior to Championships?