The Director-General of the National Sports Authority, Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, has admitted that the recent African Athletics Championship staged at the University of Ghana Stadium could have been better organized despite the successes recorded during the competition.
Speaking on Starr Chat on Starr 103.5 FM with Bola Ray, the former broadcaster acknowledged that a number of logistical and operational challenges affected the smooth running of the continental event. According to him, the organizers encountered several obstacles before and during the championship, making it difficult to deliver a flawless tournament.
Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, however, stressed that lessons have been learned from the experience and believes future international competitions hosted by Ghana can be managed more efficiently. He noted that organizing a major athletics championship of such magnitude comes with enormous pressure and demands from various stakeholders.
The NSA boss also expressed concern about what he described as excessive focus on the negative aspects of the championship by sections of the media and the public. He argued that although there were shortcomings, many positive achievements from the event received little attention.
According to him, the successful hosting of athletes and officials from across Africa, the quality of competition, and Ghana’s ability to stage a major continental athletics event should also be celebrated. He called for a balanced assessment of the championship while emphasizing the need to improve on the challenges identified.
By Jones Adzi
