Ghana Averts Cwg Boycott

Education/Sports Ministry Avert Gaisah Boycott
Credit: Ebenezer Amankwah (CITI NEWS)

Monday, 13 February 2006

An attempt not to take part in this year’s Commonwealth Games by Long Jumper Ignatius Gaisah will not see the light of day as the Ministry of Education and Sports has acted promptly to save the situation.

Ignatius Gaisah had given an earlier indication that he will not take part in this year’s Commonwealth Games due to the inability of the Ministry to honor a five thousand dollar prize promised him after last year’s World Championships in Helsinki.

In an interview with CITI SPORTS, the General Secretary of the Ghana Athletics Association, Mr Oteng Aboagye maintained that the Ministry has made an official statement to the Association on the availability of the monies for the athletes.

He stressed that the Association is in the process of contacting Gaisah, Margaret Simpson and Aziz Zakari to forward the monies to them.

‘We have assured Gaisah of prompt payment, since the Ministry has indicated their readiness to settle any outstanding bills’, the General Secretary remarked.

Mr Oteng Aboagye further stressed that the Association did not feel the least threatened when they got the indication that Gaisah might not take part in the Commonwealth Games since they had been assured by the Ministry of prompt payment.

Ignatius Gaisah, Margaret Simpson and Aziz Zakari will receive a sum of five thousand dollars each for representing the country in last year’s World Athletics Meet in Helsinki.

The Commonwealth Games is scheduled to commence from March 15th to the 26th.

The Games will run for 12 days, with 72 countries and 4, 500 athletes taking part in 16 sporting activities.

Melbourne is the fourth Australian city to host the Commonwealth Games, after Sydney in 1993, Perth in 1962 and Brisbane in 1982.

what can i say… even this newspaper isn’t able to spell Ignisious’s name. Lack of recognition is terrible. Ghana had not much athletes in Helsinki but all reach final and 2/3 medalled!

And 100% got ripped off!