body-container-line-1
14.06.2001 Sports News

Limit number of international competitions- Brock

14.06.2001 LISTEN
By GNA

Brigadier George Brock, Acting Chief Executive of the National Sports Council (NSC) Wednesday, urged the Youth and Sports Ministry to limit participation in international competitions and redirect resources towards the provision of infrastructure.

He said for now, the country should focus on the Africa and World Cup qualifiers, the Davis Cup, World and Africa Athletics championships in order to conserve money to lay the foundation for sports development.

Brigadier Brock was briefing the parliamentary select committee on Youth, Sports and Culture, led by its chairman Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu in Accra on the NSC's action plan between now and 2004.

The meeting was at the instance of the Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr Joe Aggrey, to brief the select committee on plans and problems of the ministry and its dependent associations and departments which include the NSC, National Youth Council and the National Sports College, in Winneba.

Brigadier Brock said as part of the plans of the NSC, no other team apart from soccer should travel with more than six athletes in a bid to cut down on cost.

He said criteria for the selection of athletes in such disciplines, which includes boxing, should be based on track record and current form.

The Acting Chief Executive reiterated the need to strengthened the schools and colleges' competitions and the armed forces games, which hitherto was a breeding ground for talents.

He said Ghana, the one time shining star in Africa, is now a pale shadow of herself and called for a pragmatic approach to rejuvenate and revitalise sports in the country.

The Brigadier noted that sports is a potential tool for poverty alleviation and urged all district assemblies to devote part of their common fund to the development of sports in their areas, thereby providing jobs to the youth which would gradually help alleviate poverty.

body-container-line