Sports Consult to Raise Funds for Olympic Committee

The Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) has contracted Sports Consult, a marketing company to raise funds for Ghana's participation in major international sporting events.

The new deal, which was unveiled in Accra on Tuesday, terminates the GOC's direct involvement in seeking funds for the various sporting associations to prepare and participate in global sporting events.

Speaking at the outdooring ceremony of the contract, Mr Kwesi Taylor, the Project Consultant of Sports Consult said they would formulate, coordinate and implement marketing strategies with a cardinal view of securing funding and logistics for sports development in Ghana.

Describing the deal as a partnership, Mr Taylor said though Sports Consult have been contracted primarily for the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, the 2003 All Africa Games in Abuja and the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, they would organise programmes and events that will help develop sports.

He said Sports Consult would engage in events marketing, advertising, promotion and overall sponsorship syndication and the organisation of sports tourism programmes to provide support for sports enthusiasts willing to travel to watch various games.

The project consultant outlined organisation of local and international training programmes for all national teams, the construction and management of a website of the GOC and mobilisation of funds and equipment for the GOC's new secretariat as some other jobs they would undertake.

Mr Taylor said in line with their terms of reference, Sports Consult would, "in the next few days" launch a fund raising campaign for the 17th Commonwealth Games, which coincide with the 50th anniversary jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II and appealed to "new and traditional sponsors" to respond positively.

He assured sponsors that their contributions would be used for the purposes they are intended in a transparent manner that would eliminate waste and ensure that Ghana, for once, wins many medals at the Commonwealth Games.