IAAF ready to release annual grant to GAA

Accra, June 20, GNA - The International Amateur Athletics Federations (IAAF) has agreed to release the annual grant of 15, 000 dollars to the Ghana Athletics Association (GAA), which was said to have been under suspension for the past five months.

Mr Hamah Hamid Issakah, Head of Public Relations Officer of the National Sports Council (NSC) on behalf of the acting Chief Executive said revealed this in a statement copied to the GNA Sports on Monday. The statement said that contrary to earlier media publications that the IAAF has suspended the release of the annual grant, the situation is now under control, after a meeting with Mr Lamine Diack, President of IAAF and other officers of the IAAF as well as Dr Henry Pufaa, Chairman of Board of Directors of NSC and Mr Albert Agbozo, the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the NSC.

The statement said following the meeting, the constitution of the GAA will also be structured to conform to the IAAF standard. The IAAF was said to have earlier this year suspended the annual grant to Ghana due to the alleged wrongful removal from office of Mr George Lutterodt, former Chairman of the GAA.

This generated furore in the athletic circles leading to the intervention of the IAAF, which asked that the constitution of the local body be streamlined in conformity with international standards.