'We were prevented from taking part in Taekwondo event' - Amefu

Mr. Amefu and his team were excluded from the Taekwondo competition

The Chairman of the Greater Accra Taekwondo Federation (GATF), Norbert Amefu has said that his team was prevented from participating in the ongoing National Sports Festival in Kumasi.

The Taekwondo competition started yesterday, September 3, without Mr Amefu’s Athletes.

Mr Amefu disclosed this to the GNA Sports in an interview on Monday.

He explained that the Greater Accra Regional Director of Sports, Mr Edward Kpeglo, on August 30, informed him that, the National Sports Authority (NSA) boss Mr. Robert Sarfo Mensah has made it clear that his team would not be given access to the games.

Mr Amefu said he was informed that the Ghana Taekwondo Federation (GTF) led by its President Mr. Frederick Otu-Lartey, who is also the founder of another faction, with the same name of Greater Accra Taekwondo Federation (GATF), would be considered.

According to Mr. Amefu, who is also the President of Norlympics, said a meeting was held with the Minister of Youth and Sports Mr. Isaac Asiamah, the NSA Boss and the Greater Accra Regional Sports Director and it was agreed that both bodies should present five athletes each to make up the ten athletes that each region is supposed to present for the competition.

“So we went with our five athletes but the other party came with ten athletes without adhering to the Minister’s order. When the taekwondo schedule came out, my team was not informed of the venue and time.

However, on the day of the competition, when my team got to know the time of the event and got there, my athletes realized that their names were missing on the list.”

“This led to an argument, resulting in the arrest of two of my athletes by the Police. They were however released that same night,” Mr Amefu said.