Ghana misled IAAF for grant

Accra, Aug 3, GNA – The Ghana Athletics Association misled the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) into believing the Association (GAA) held its Congress in 2006 to merit grant from the global body.

A communiqué sent to the IAAF by then Chairman of the Ghana Athletics Association (GAA), Sandy Osei-Agyeman, in the possession of the GNA Sports claimed the Association's constitution had been approved on February 15, 2006 at a Congress that never took place.

The communiqué which included the supposed approved constitution was meant to qualify the country for an annual grant from the IAAF.

With the IAAF now convinced by the “documentary" evidence, Ghana has received unspecified grants for three years.

There are however contradictory reports on the exact amount the country received as grant even though a statement of expenditure for the 2008 grant to the IAAF in the possession of the GNA Sports totaled 109,958.12 dollars.

Contrary to Mr Osei Agyeman's handing over notes to the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Chairman and the Secretary General of the GAA pegged the IAAF's annual grant from 11,000 to 15,000 dollars depending on deductions made.

In the handing over notes, the former Chairman raised the clamour for a Congress since 2008-2009 and lamented on the Ministry's and the National Sports Councils' (NSC) policy of appointing officers that thwarted the efforts of “the GAA to organize the first Congress and elect new officers.”

Mr Osei-Agyeman in his expenditure statement for the 2008 grant to the IAAF was said to have expended 13,500 dollars as payment to a Marketing Consultant for fund raising and sponsorship for the GAA.

A further 9,832.54 dollars of the grant was spent on “air freight clearing of Puma goods for local and international competitions and clearing of electronic starting gun.”

GNA