Ghana registers 13 disciplines at all African games

Prince Ernest Oduro-Mensah, Chief Executive Officer of the National Sports Council, has confirmed that Ghana would participate in 13 disciplines at the 9th All African Games in Algiers, Algeria from July 5 to 23.

He told the Statesports in Accra on Friday that Ghana registered in events that would likely win medals. They are soccer, athletics, boxing, tennis, table tennis, tackwondo, badminton, volleyball, judo, karatedo, weightlifting, cycling and special events for the disabled.

According to the NSC boss, all the 13 disciplines had duly qualified for the Games and the participants would be motivated to win medals for the nation.

He, however, stated that hockey, recongnised as one of the most popular sports on the continent, would not be staged at this year's Games, because it fell short of the needed five maximum entrants, as stipulated in the rules of the Games.

He added that for the first time, Ghana would participate in cycling because it had the potential of winning a medal.

Out of the 13 disciplines, Ghana will also vie for places in the next Afro-Asian Games, also to be staged in Algeria. The first four places in every discipline at the All African Games will guarantee representation for countries at the Afro-Asian Games which will be held later in the year.

For the other disciplines like kickboxing, basketball, gymnastics, handball, swimming, water-polo, equestrian sports, beach volleyball, wrestling, chess, fencing, yachting, rowing and shooting, the major factor that worked against Ghana"s participation was non participation at the qualifiers.

Meanwhile, the NSC CEO recently attended a meeting in Algeria where heads of delegates of the participating nations discussed issues on the various disciplines, accreditation procedures and toured facilities for the Games.