Other Sports of Thursday, 6 January 2011

Source: GNA

IOC to decide Ghana's fate next week

Accra, Jan. 6, GNA - Ghana will know her fate with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in a week's time when the Executive Board of the global body gather for business.

A communiqué sent to Ghana on Tuesday January 4 cited by GNA Sports in Accra on Thursday said "following our meeting with you on 8th November, 2010 at the IOC headquarters in Lausanne, we wish to inform you that we have not received the letter we were expecting from your relevant authorities with respect in particular to the progress in the revision of the sports legislation in Ghana as per our previous exchanges."

The one page communiqué signed by Pere Miro, IOC NOC Relations Director and Christophe de Kepper, IOC's President's Chief of Staff was addressed to Mrs Ellen Serwaa Nee-Whang, Ghana's Ambassador to Switzerland and Austria.

It said "consequently, we regrettably confirm that this situation will be reported to the next IOC Executive Board meeting which will take place on 12-13 January, 2011 for appropriate measures and decisions vis-à-vis the Ghana Olympic Committee in accordance with the Olympic Charter. Please accept the assurances of our highest consideration."

Ghana for a year now has been dialoging with the IOC to end the impasse that has engulfed the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) over who has the mandate to lead the movement.

This came as a result from a stand-off in the GOC following the June 30, 2009, General Assembly which saw the election of Professor Francis Dodoo as President of the Committee to replace Benson Tongo Baba.

The IOC subsequently drew a roadmap for Ghana which included the passage of the Sports Bill, currently before Cabinet by close of last year.