... outstanding sports talents

Former international footballer Augustine Arhinful has come out with the idea to honour young sports talents with scholarships to enable them go far in education as they compete or perform for the nation.

Speaking at the launch of the first ever Sports Fans Awards implemented by Happy 98.9 FM in Accra, he said the best way to encourage young sportsmen and women is to support them in education and offer them scholarships like it is done in advanced nations who have sports at heart.

According to the former Black Stars and Obuasi AshGold striker who plied his professional trade in Germany, Portugal and Turkey, the country Ghana boasts of talented amd skillful sports men but there is nothing to encourage them. He was appy with the Happy FM initiative and hoped the lovely sports fans would support and contribute to the scheme that allows sports fans to vote for the best sports personalities. The Awards Gala is planned for Friday December 27, 2013 and it is hinged on 100 per cent voting by spectators in five various categories fashioned out by a 10-member committee for the maiden event set to assume an annual character. Charles Osei Asibey, a senior presenter and sports journalist at Happy FM said “Without the spectators, sports will not be what it is. Their opinion and support are part of the reason they are primary stakeholders in the industry. This awards, a novelty is to give the supporters a voice to tell the world who their best performers over a period are. The period under review is from January to December each year.”

He said supporters will vote for their favourites in five various categories with a technical committee which has Dr Emmanuel Owusu Ansah as the chairman deciding on seven others based on their technicalities. Asibey mentioned the Footballer of the Year – local and foreign, Sports Personality of the Year, beach soccer, weightlifting and boxing as among the categories for the event.

Dr. Emmanuel Owusu Ansah said it is good o honour sports heroes, but Award organisers must look out for new ideas and not copy what other are doing or have done.