Sports News of Saturday, 2 August 2014

Source: GNA

No medals but I’m satisfied - Dep. Sports Minister

Vincent Oppong Asamoah, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, has said though Ghana, has not been regular on the medal podium, he was satisfied with the level of performance of the athletes at the 20th Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.

Ghana has so far won bronze medal in Judo, with three days to end the competition.

Speaking to the GNA Sports, the minister said though the medal drought was disturbing, the ages of the athletes gives him enough confidence for the future.

“I have seen very young and talented athletes with high prospects for the future.

“We have very young swimmers in the team and I believe when given the needed training and exposure, they will take the nation far in future competitions”, he stated.

The minister said, the athletes could have done better, if they had been given enough competition adding that there was the need to create the necessary structures to prepare athletes adequately for future competition.

He said as part of the plans for the future, they will develop measures to enhance the knowledge of the coaches in the country.

“We need to develop programmes and activities aimed at developing the skills and competences of our coaches, if we are to have athletes who can compete at the highest level.

“We also need to collaborate with other countries in the area of technical development so we can have top notch coaches attached to the various sporting disciplines to help in the development of athletes in the country”, he stated.

The Deputy Minister however denied reports that he was physically attacked by an athlete adding that the reports were false.