With the 2026 Commonwealth Games fast approaching, concerns have emerged within Ghana's judo fraternity over the selection of athletes for the competition.
Last week, the President of the Commonwealth Games in Ghana, Richard Akpokavie, announced the list of athletes and sporting disciplines that will represent the country at the Games.
Following the announcement, coaches intensified preparations as they sought to fine-tune their athletes ahead of the prestigious event, with hopes of securing medals for Ghana.
However, Ghana's Judo Head Coach, Elkanah Dodoo, has alleged interference in his selection of athletes for the Games.
According to Coach Dodoo, he selected two judokas—a male and a female athlete—in line with gender balance considerations and based on their potential to win medals. The athletes were Dallas Awanyese in the men's over-100kg category and Elizabeth Oduro in the women's division.
Dodoo claims that the President of the Ghana Judo Federation, Samuel Kenneth Arthur, overruled his decision by submitting the name of another athlete, Frema Agyei, to the Commonwealth Games Ghana Secretariat, resulting in the inclusion of two female athletes instead.
The coach questioned the practice of sports administrators interfering in technical decisions that fall under the jurisdiction of coaches.
"If presidents continue to interfere in the duties of coaches, where is the sport heading?" he asked.
Dodoo further argued that Agyei is still a junior athlete and would have an opportunity to represent Ghana at the upcoming Youth Olympic Games in Dakar.
"The Commonwealth Games is for senior athletes and the best competitors, not a trial-and-error exercise," he stated.
The judo coach maintained that his selections were guided by the objectives set by the Commonwealth Games Ghana, whose campaign slogan emphasizes Ghana's ambition of winning gold medals at the Games in Glasgow.
According to Dodoo, his decisions were made with the sole aim of giving Ghana the strongest possible chance of achieving success on the international stage.
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