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14.01.2004 Sports News

Programme for Olympic games outlined

14.01.2004 LISTEN
By GNA

Accra, Jan 14, GNA - Mr Albert Abgozo, Acting Chief Executive of the National Sports Council (NSC) on Wednesday outdoored the programme for Ghana's preparation towards this year's Olympic games slated for Athens, Greece, in August.

Mr Abgozo who was having his first official meeting with the media since taking over from Dr Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah in December last year, outlined the itineraries of the five selected disciplines, which the country will participate in.

The disciplines are boxing, athletics, taekwondo, weight lifting and soccer.

The NSC Boss said the selected disciplines would participate in major local and international competitions to pick the right athletes for the Games.

He said the programme, which begins now to August 13, this year, would involve a carefully selected regimen to fulfill the aspiration of everybody.

Mr. Abgozo said the NSC will source for funding to enable the athletes have the desired exposure and also expressed optimism that the country would break the long spell of not winning the desired medals at the Olympics.

Announcing a five-year development plan, similar to that of the Ghana Football Association, the NSC boss said the council would factor in the recommendations of the Joe Aggrey's Committee on infrastructure into the plan.

He expressed the council's desire to raise the standard of Sports to an appreciable level by unearthing and developing talents from the grass root in addition to improving upon the existing infrastructure. Mr Abgozo said the NSC would from now till 2008 source for funds to build a 6.5 billion cedis modern physio center, which will employ qualified medical staff and paramedics.

He said the facility would be run purely on commercial basis to recoup the investment made.

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