Ghana Athletics has appealed to the government urging the allocation of a $1 million investment to empower Ghanaian athletes and elevate their chances of securing an Olympic medal.
Charles Osei Asibey, the Vice President of Ghana Athletics, asserted that Ghanaian athletes possessed immense potential that could surpass many global competitors.
To unlock this potential and pave the way for Olympic success, he emphasized the crucial need for substantial financial support.
Despite Ghana's 18 global appearances at the Olympic Games, the country was yet to secure a medal in track and field events.
Osei Asibey believed that strategic investments were essential to enhance the skills and capabilities of the athletes and transform the outcome.
In a press conference, Osei Asibey issued a challenge to the Ghanaian government, stating, "We challenged Ghana and the government, to give athletics $1 million, and we'll get you the results you're asking for."
He highlighted that athletes from Ghana were on par with their global counterparts, especially considering that many were student-athletes residing in the United States and the UK.
Osei Asibey drew attention to successful models implemented by other nations, such as Kenya's national project for athlete Omanyala and the extensive support system for Nigerian student-athletes. He passionately emphasized the need for Ghana to follow suit in providing comprehensive backing for its athletes.
Reflecting on the last decade, Osei Asibey asserted, "Anytime I said this, I spoke with passion; in the last 10 years, no discipline did better than athletics, it’s a fact."
With an eye on the upcoming 2023 Africa Games, Ghana is determined to amass more medals and strategic financial investments are seen as a critical factor in achieving this goal.
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