We must treat all national teams the same way we treat the Black Stars – Nunoo Mensah

President of the Ghana Olympic Committee, Ben Nunoo Mensah, has agreed with the argument that all of our national teams, including football, athletics, and tennis, are treated equally.

Although the astute former football administrator agrees that football and the senior national team are our cash cows and should be given preferential treatment, he believes they should not be treated differently than the other national teams.

He was taking part in a discussion on Rainbow Radio 87.5 FM’s Frontline about whether all of our national teams should be treated equally.

The show’s host, Kwabena Agyapong, argued that it was critical that our national teams be treated fairly.

The sports editor had argued that the teams should not be treated equally.

Andrews Kwabena, aka K-GEE, supported his claims, but Mr. Nunoo Mensah, who was listening at the time, called in, saying that all of our teams must be treated equally.

He said that in the light of saying the senior team is our cash cow and so they should give some level of treatment, I agree with them, but in the light that they should not be treated equally, I disagree with them.

"Our national football team is not the only one we have. There are numerous other national teams. We have a national Judo team, a national swimming team, and a national weightlifting team. That is why I agree with your [Kwabena] argument. Why should our national Judo team, which recently won gold in a tournament, travel by bus? The other national teams travel by bus, while the senior national team, the Black Stars, travels by plane.”

"That is not ideal, and it is for this reason that I have argued that all of our teams must be treated equally," he said.

As a result, he has urged journalists and policymakers to use accurate facts when making such claims.

"If those who can influence policy decisions and journalists get their facts wrong, or if we don’t present our case well, the disparity in treatment of our national teams will persist. That is why I called to inform you that it is not just about the Black Stars. Yes, we know football is our passion. The Black Stars have also given us some popularity, so whatever they want, let us give it to them so that they can maintain that pedigree for the nation."

However, when the Black Stars require a million, the maidens or Meteos may require only a thousand, or the Judo team or the weight lighting teams may require only twenty thousand, yet they do not receive the required amount when the Black Stars receive what they require,” he added.

"We need all of our facts so that when policymakers are listening, they will structure their policies so that every Ghanaian youth with talent is nurtured so that they can achieve greater rewards for themselves and the nation,” he said. In most cases, the per diem for the other national teams is difficult to come by, let alone their winning bonuses. We must address these issues so that our children who participate in boxing, judo, and other sports receive the necessary support. They are just as important as the players for the Black Stars.”