Who is killing Ghana Athletics?

Since 2008 when Ghana was about to host the African Cup of Nations and the sports authorities decided to expand the Accra Sports Stadium, one of the plans was to take off the tartan tracks to make room for more seats. Some who favoured the decision said they are many stadiums without tracks and Accra Sports Stadium can stay without athletic tracks. I thought a new stadium would be built to fit the capital, whilst the sports monument at Osu is renovated and preserved. (After all there are cities in West Africa with two good stadia)

At that time in 2008, the Local Organising Committee (LOC) led by Dr. Kofi Amoah and Rex Danquah were thinking about only football, leaving the king of sports, Athletics to die slowly in the capital.

The men who run affairs at that time including Captain (rtd) Andy Sam, a member of the LOC who I met recently involved in the Ghana’s Fastest Human programme, said those in Accra who want to do running as a sport or hobby must go to the El Wak Stadium to train. The Accra Sports Stadium at Osu has been the place where athletics events were held for the nation and schools. The inter – colleges competition were often held at the Accra Sports Stadium and that is where great talents like Timothy Hesse, Leo Myles Mills, Solomon Amagatse, Cynthia Quartey, Mercy Addy and others were unearthed and they competed for Ghana in many national and international events.

Many sports performers who could not play football, handball, golf, basketball or tennis took to running and the found their talents in the 100 meters dash, 200 meters, 400 meters, 800 meters, 1,500 meters, 5,000 meters, 10,000 meters, high jump, pole vault, triple jump, hurdles, javelin, discus and shot put.

Ghana is known to be a country blessed with sports talents and many Ghanaians have challenged the world 100 meters dash with names like Billy Lomotey, Mike Ahey, Ohene Karikari, Alice Anum, Hannah Afriyie, Rose Hart, George Daniels, Ernest Obeng, Rex Brobby, Myles Mills brothers, Vida Anim, Aziz Zakari, just to name those who come to my mind readily.

Now, since 2008, Ghana Athletics is dying or even dead as some people see it. Great personalities like Mr. Adjin Tettey, A.O Lawson did their best in the past, but what about now and the future? When the news broke that top athlete, Ignatius Gaisah has resigned from Ghana to run and jump for Holland; it was the last straws peeling. News reaching your truly state that other top athletes like Margaret Simpson wants to quit Ghana and perform for another nation. As I file this news story, I can confirm that the 2013 World Athletics Championships would be held in Moscow, Russia and only one Ghanaian is representing the great nation that got independence first, south of the Sahara. How and why?

At the last Olympic Games in London last year, Ghana’s performance was poor; even some medal hopes could not make it to the event, let alone compete. The brightest spot perhaps could be weight lifting when Alberta Ampomah who was recently honoured by the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG), for breaking the national record.

Athletics is one sport that does not need much equipment, except the tracks, spikes and baton for the relays. The only expensive material needed in Athletics is the tracks and without the required standard tracks and good times, one cannot run in international grand prix.

Aziz Zakari, Ignatius Gaisah and Margaret Simpson have carried the flag of Ghana in Athletics for a long time. Now they are passing their prime and it seems those to take over are not being sited well.

It is true some young athletes are coming up on their own, but how are they being monitored or groomed well to be able to run very well internationally, like the Jamaicans who now rule the world.

There is no doubt that Essipong, Tamale, Kumasi and El Wak have tracks, but the people of Accra are suffering. Junior and Senior Secondary School graduates who love to run in Accra cannot move every day to the Military Zone of El Wak every day to train. Some fear the presence of the military and others cannot cope with the distance from Kanashie, Chorkor, Mamprobi, James Town, Dansoman, Odorkor or Mallam-Gbawe to train at El Wak. So my simple question for now, as Ghana’s Fastest Man and Woman are being prepared, is who is killing or has killed Athletics in the capital.

I was in Kumasi recently and I was glad to see JHS students having their annual Athletics, then I asked myself, what about Accra, the capital and I was told by one big man to tell the JHS and SHS and all those who want to run in Accra to go to El Wak.

What about when or if the Military want to use El Wak for their own programme? But in the midst of the Gaisah situation, I can boldly say the Ghana Athletics Association (GAA) has failed, and the earlier they put the house in order the better. Professor Francis Dodoo, Chairman of the G.A.A. and the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) and his men must sit up and find the solutions, because if it is only El Wak Stadium that they want to depend on, then Athletics would die in the capital. Tamale and Essipong cannot be white elephants as talents are discouraged and killed in Accra. It is about time that sports (Athletics) lovers in Accra speak their mind and let the authorities know the wishes of the people.

The Honourable Youth and Sports Minister, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah must know the truth that Accra abounds in great athletes, but they are not being encouraged. The next Olympic Games is in Brazil in 2016 and nobody can see the plans or preparations of Ghana. The earlier we plan and prepare the better.

The 2013 Unity Games has been slated for Kumasi from August 11 to 18 and news reaching me is that the disciplines to be competed have been cut from 20 to eleven due to financial constraints, and that also wonders me why the National Sports Authority (NSA) cannot find sponsorship for a popular national event as such that takes people, both performers and officials to the Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games.

For sure, I can bet my last coin that Accra will win in Boxing, but am not sure about Athletics, which Ashanti can claim easily. The Northern and Western regions must prove me wrong, because they have the most modern Athletics Ovals in Tamale and Essipong.