Track & Field News of Thursday, 16 November 2017

Source: starrfmonline.com

Sports Ministry writes to IAAA over GAA London Championship expenditure

Deputy Sports Minister, Pius Enam Hadzide Deputy Sports Minister, Pius Enam Hadzide

Ghana’s Deputy Sports Minister, Pius Enam Hadzide, says his outfit has officially written to the IAAF, requesting further explanation on some details within the Ghana Athletics Association’s report over the usage of the $84,900 budget for their London 2017 World Athletics Championship participation.

The Ghana Athletics Association( GAA) had initially informed the Sports Ministry ahead of the Championship that the said amount would be used to cater for travel, accommodation, feeding and allowances for the Ghana’s 9 athletes.

But an email from IAAF Communications Team member Chris Turner intercepted by Starr FM Sports states that the London 2017 Local Organizing Committee paid for travel and accommodation of all qualified teams.

This response then raises doubts about the legitimacy of the GAA’s claim; hence the Sports Ministry’s request for further explanation which is believed will set the records straight.

“We have studied the report and still continuing to study the report but we have some gray areas that need further explanation, clarification from NSA, GAA and the IAAF. “We are now awaiting their various responses so we can conclusively close this matter”, Hadzide told Starr Sports.

Meanwhile, still on the GAA, efforts have begun to resolve the impasse between them and young middle-distance runner, Martha Bissah who is currently based in the USA.