Club owners call for the dissolution of GCA

Accra, Nov. 11, GNA - The Greater Accra Cycling Association (GACA) has given the country's sports authorities a month to dissolve the Ghana Cycling Association (GCA) and reconstitute it else, it will be compelled to form a parallel body.

The GACA accused the national body of gross incompetence and lack vision and has decided to alienate itself from the regional association, which comprises mainly of club owners.

Mr Kofi Ohene-Osae, Chairman of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) that catalogued their concerns at a press conference in Accra on Thursday bashed the GCA for its inability to affiliate Ghana to the world governing body, the UCI.

He wondered why the association has over the years failed to bring pressure to bare on government to pay the country's affiliation fee, the only requirement, which enables Ghanaian cycling clubs to participate in the international competitions.

The IMC Chairman said Ghana's inability to be affiliated to the World body has deprived crack cyclists the needed exposure and a high-profile arena to showcase their talent.

Mr Ohene-Osae also alleged that whereas sponsorship for Ghana's biggest cycling event, Tour Du Ghana keeps increasing, prizes for the winners of the favourite yellow jersey keep declining.

He questioned the rationale in asking cycling clubs to pay 250,000 cedis each as participating fees and then provide their own transport to tour the country only to be given a paltry amount at the end. A cyclist, which won all the eight stages, was to take home 3.4 million cedis, which the GACA said was woefully inadequate.

Mr Ohene-Osae said since it was not possible for a cyclist to win all the stages, it was important that the participating clubs were given appearance fees to defray some of the overhead expenditure. He also took a swipe at the sports authorities for failing to address the nagging problem over the year.

The GACA called on the GCA to account for an alleged 16 million cedis doled out by the Ghana Olympic Committee to prepare the national cycling team for last year's All Africa Games, which the team could not make and explain why the cyclists were asked to sign for 300 dollars each while they were given 250 dollars after the La Route de L'est in Cote D'Ivoire.

Mr Ohene-Osae said it was shameful that the GCA could not commit Gemeni Life Insurance Company (GLICO) to honour its word after promising to insure all the cyclists and officials during the recently held Tour du Ghana.

Currently Richard Mawuko, one of Ghana's cycling hopeful is in critical condition at the Koforidua Saint Joseph's Hospital after being knocked down by a vehicle during the tour. He said members of the GCA should bow their heads in shame for not being present at the late Mike Ajavon's (pioneer of Ghana cycling) funeral but rather chose to participate in the La Route Du L'est in Ivory Coast because of their selfish interests.