Assafuah calls for broader sports focus beyond Black Stars amid athletics controversy

A ranking member of Parliament’s Sports Committee has called for a shift in Ghana’s sports policy, warning that excessive focus on football — particularly the Ghana national football team — risks undermining the development of other sporting disciplines.

Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Thursday (14 May), Vincent Ekow Assafuah said recent challenges surrounding the ongoing African athletics championship highlight deeper structural issues within the country’s sports administration.

“Sports cannot be defined only by the Black Stars… other federations are equally important,” he said.

Call for balanced investment across disciplines
Assafuah argued that Ghana’s sports ecosystem requires a more equitable distribution of attention and resources, stressing that athletics and other federations must receive the same level of planning and support as football.

He said the current situation — marked by organisational lapses at an international athletics event — reflects a broader neglect of non-football disciplines.

According to him, strengthening these federations is critical not only for athlete development but also for Ghana’s competitiveness on the global stage.

Budget concerns tied to structural imbalance
The MP reiterated concerns over the reported GH¢40 million allocation for the athletics championship, questioning whether spending priorities align with outcomes.

He contrasted the event with the African Games 2023, which hosted multiple disciplines and attracted significantly higher participation under a more structured framework.

“This is just one discipline… yet the provision is far higher when compared proportionally,” he noted.

He said such disparities point to inefficiencies in planning and a lack of strategic coordination across the sector.

Missed opportunities beyond football
Assafuah further linked the current challenges to broader governance concerns, including missed opportunities to host international competitions in other sports.

He cited Ghana’s inability to host a global aquatics event, attributing it to administrative disputes and what he described as government interference in sports federations.

According to him, such setbacks deprive the country of infrastructure investment, international visibility and long-term development benefits.

He called for closer scrutiny of the Ministry of Sports and event organisers, urging reforms that would prioritise professionalism, accountability and inclusivity across all sporting disciplines.

Assafuah stressed that Ghana’s sports future depends on moving beyond a football-centric model.

“Other federations are equally important… we must develop them if we want to grow sports as a country,” he said.

Asaase Radio