91 Athletes, 48 Officials for AG

By Nana Bentsi Oduro

The International Games and Competition Committee (IGCC) have confirmed that Ghana will send a contingent size of 91 athletes and 48 officials for the upcoming 12th African Games (AG) slated for Rabat, Morocco from August 19- September 1.

Officials include 29 coaches from the respective teams and a management team of 19 members.

They will participate in 14 of the 26 disciplines at the Games , including athletics , badminton, beach volley , boxing , cycling, fencing , football , weightlifting , Judo , karate do, swimming , taekwondo ,table tennis and tennis.

Briefing the media yesterday on Ghana's preparations, Prof. Peter Twumasi, Chairman of the IGCC said that the disciplines were selected based on the disciplines with high medal prospects.

He said Ghana's aim at the multisport event was to win medals in their various competitions, hence the massive reduction in the numbers from 300 athletes that featured in the 2015 edition in Congo Brazzaville.

"In the past we have attended this competition with a large contingent of athletes and returned home with little; this time the approach is to go with fewer athletes who have been prepared extensively over the course of time. We believe it is a prudent way of winning more medals at the Games."

The National Sports Authority (NSA) boss also assured that the necessary equipment, logistics and kits needed for their preparations have been provided to ensure that they have smooth preparations going into the games.

Chef de Mission of the Ghana contingent, Rev.Richmond Quarcoo disclosed that the various athletes and their technical handlers have commenced their residential camping towards the games.

He stated that the disciplines have been divided into three groups with the first group consisting of boxing, table tennis, taekwondo, Weight lifting, fencing, Karate do and beach Volley based at the Cape Coast stadium.

The second group made up of Tennis, Judo, Swimming, Badminton and Cycling are training at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The U-20 male side, the Black Satellites, which makes up the third group, have begun camping at the Ghanaman Soccer of Excellence.

According to Rev. Quarcoo, the team is expected to leave on August 16 for the 11-day event; however the football, beach volley and Judo teams will leave on August 13 due to their early competition schedule.

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