Ghana: Top 5 sports scandals of 2024

2024 was a mixed year for Ghana sports with many highlights and low points marking the 12 months of the year. From the country successfully hosting the 2023 African Games in Accra to the Black Stars failing to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) for the first time since 2004, it was truly a year of ups and downs. But what many will not forget is the numerous outrageous scandals that marred the sports fraternity almost every other month of the year.

Here at Pulse Ghana, we present the top 5 scandals in Ghana’s sports sector in 2024

African Games Expenditure

Ghana hosted the 13th African Games from March 8 to 24, 2024, with over 13,000 participants from 55 countries. The competition was relatively successful but the expenditure authorities claimed to have used to host the nearly one-month event left many stunned.

The government spent $195 million on infrastructure for the 13th African Games, according to Mustapha Ussif, Minister of Youth and Sports. Of this amount, $145 million was spent on building the Borteyman Sports Centre, $34 million was used to renovate the University of Ghana Stadium, and $16 million was used to renovate the Games Village in Legon.

These figures left many shocked considering the initial Olympic standard sports complex promised at Borteyman was not what was delivered, the University of Ghana Stadium was only renovated, and the Games Village was just a renovation of the already existing students' hostels at Legon.

To top it all up, the Local Organising Committee (LOC) claimed they spent $15 million to feed athletes. Simply outrageous!

Paralympic Team Disappear Abroad

Another scandal followed in July when news broke that some para-athletes who traveled to Norway for the Fjordkraft Bergen City Marathon had gone missing after arriving in Oslo.

According to a statement from the Ministry of National Security, 11 athletes were supposed to take part in the marathon, but none of them even registered for the race.

One of the athletes was arrested while attempting to cross into Sweden, and tragically, the team’s coach, George Gyamfi Gyasi, passed away in hospital after collapsing. The National Paralympic Committee (NPC) later confirmed that the team in Norway was made up of imposters.

NSA Face PAC

The National Sports Authority (NSA) was like the den of scandals throughout the year. They were in the news for all the wrong reasons in 2024.

First, it was not managing the national stadiums well leading to the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi being stopped from hosting CAF Category C games due to the poor nature of the pitch.

And then different figures on how much Stonebwoy paid the authority to host his concert in December 2023. The NSA had recorded GHS70,000 in their books as the amount the musician paid, but Stonebwoy’s manager, Chief Stylz, denied it saying they paid more than the reported figure.

Later, the MP for Ningo-Prampram, Sam Nartey George disclosed that the musician’s outfit paid GH? 169,000 but the NSA pocketed GH? 99,000.

The NSA was unable to account for revenue generated from renting national stadiums for concerts during the Public Accounts Committee sitting. Peter Twumasi was dismissed from the role as NSA boss.

Black Stars Woes and Players Fight

The Black Stars were abysmal throughout 2024. The lowest the country’s football has sunk in nearly three decades. Ghana dropped out of the group stages of AFCON in Ivory Coast for the second consecutive time, and what followed was an even more disgraceful outing as Otto Addo’s men failed to qualify for the 2025 AFCON in Morocco.

As if their performance were not bad enough, the team started falling apart. After a shameful defeat to Sudan, Jordan Ayew and Lawrence Ati-Zigi were filmed having a go at each other. It took the timely intervention of teammates to prevent a full-fledged fight.

It was later reported the altercation continued in the dressing room and the two players ended up throwing hands.

Black Queens Unpaid Bonuses

It took public outcry and activism for the Black Queens to be paid months of unpaid bonuses they were owed dating back to qualifying games they played last year.

This angered most Ghanaians, who started an online campaign “Pay the Black Queens” before their crucial Olympic Games qualification match against Zambia before they were finally paid. The team reportedly considered boycotting the game.

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