Director General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Joe Kpenge, has hinted that if his outfit does not receive financial assistance from government and corporate organisations in the shortest possible time to facilitate preparations towards the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, the nation might pull out.
Mr Kpenge made the disclosure in an interview with the Graphic Sports last Wednesday as he reacted to complaints by officials of some national federations that their activities, especially participation in the qualifiers for the Rio games, had been stalled by financial constraints.
According to him, a Tripartite Committee, comprising the NSA, Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) and the Ministry of Youth and Sports had held a meeting and were preparing to meet the Parliamentary Select Committee on Sports to find a lasting solution to the many financial challenges facing Ghana sports, particularly the Rio
He noted that should the unexpected happen after their meeting with the parliamentarians, his outfit would notify the GOC to write to the International Olympic Committee about Ghana’s decision to pull out of the Games which open on August 5 in order to avoid any sanctions.
“If money for qualifiers has become a problem how can we even talk of participation? If the worst happens will call it off although our youth will be disappointed since they have been training hard after the Congo games,” Mr Kpenge noted.
“Usually, sponsors don’t give money for qualifiers; it is government’s responsibility to release funds but the money is not coming because of the current economic challenges.”
The NSA boss further lamented the delay in release of budgetary allocation for sports. “Even our portion of the GH¢22m budgetary allocation for sports is not enough to participate in the games and to make matters worse, the money is also not coming so what shall we do?”
Meanwhile, officials of the Ghana Volleyball Association say Ghana has missed out on the indoor volleyball qualifiers played in Congo and Cameroun last January.
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