Ghanaian athletes cheated by Nigerian officials

Two Ghanaian athletes have been cheated by Nigerian officials after participating in the 2019 Okpekpe road race.

Willam Amponsah and Ishmael Arthur were denied their prize money after placing 1st and 3rd respectively in the competition at Edo state, their manager has said.

Saturday's race saw the level 100 Student of Winneba University, Amponsah outrun his competitors in the non elites category with a time of 31:04secs.

But his prize was shifted to Nigeria's Emmanuel Gyan Gwom who came 2nd in a time of 31.42secs, as the Ghanaians were declared unqualified in that category.

Ishmael Athur, who came 3rd in a time of 32:17secs but had to return home with only their certificates and medals.

According to Charles Abeiku Forson duo from his Agona Swedru-based Daakyi Running club had registered online to run the 10km race but things took a different turn when he landed in Nigeria with his boys.

"We registered the boys for the race but they said we were not invited by the organizers to come since we are from another country," said.

"We should have gotten invitation to the race for us to be treated as Elite to be part of the Ethiopian and Kenyans I showed them our registration forms I did all to have them run with the Elite but no to us because the Elite had different registration numbers so they asked us to just as Nigeria and my boys did.

"Amponsah and Ishmael run over the hill and Even over lapped more than 65 Elite who started the race before them . Amponsah was first in his category in a time of 31:04sec. and Ishmael did 32:17sec."

Amponsah and Arthur both have earlier this year won the Kwahu Marathon and Asante Akyem Marathon respectively.

According to Mr Forson the move to participate in the seventh edition of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Silver label Okpekpe international 10km road race was to give his boys more international exposure.

He admitted his fault for getting them registered in the wrong category, but said it was unfair to be denied the prize money.

The Okpekpe international 10km road race is one of the races across the globe the IAAF has designated as one of the “leading road races around the world.”

The classification was first introduced for the 2008 running season, upon the suggestion of the IAAF Road Running Commission.The Okpekpe race was accorded a bronze label status in 2015 and last year,after meeting the stringent criteria listed for a would-be silver label race which also included the required number of the international elite field, the race was elevated to a silver label status which is also the first in Nigeria nay West Africa.