President of the Ghana Olympic Committee, Ben Nunoo Mensah wants suspended Ghanaian athlete, Martha Bissah to be allowed to compete for Ghana at International games.
The 2014 Summer Youth Olympics gold medalist was suspended indefinitely by the Ghana Athletics Association after she alleged that officials of the GAA were into extortion and bribery.
However, after serving her suspension for five years and graduating with a bachelors from Norfolk State University, the Ghanaian athlete has reawakened her desire to compete for Ghana. However, the GAA insists that Bissah must first apologize before the ban is lifted.
But speaking to Ghanaweb in an exclusive chat on Sports Check, Ben Nunoo Mensah explained that although he’s willing to appeal for Martha Bissah, his portfolio as GOC President does not allow him to interfere in matters associated with federations.
He, however, opined that Bissah should be given the nod if she’s still capable of winning a medal for Ghana at the next Olympic Games.
He said, “If Martha Bissah is good and can win a medal for Ghana, why not?”
“The GOC has no managerial right over the sports federations, it’s entirely their business. It is the national federations who give us athletes for International games,” Ben Nunoo Mensah explained.
He added, “So as long as the GAA doesn’t bring Martha Bissah’s name to the GOC for the Olympic Games, there’s nothing we can do.”
He however suggested that “there can be an intervention from the president [of Ghana] or the ministry [of sports] but the GOC or IOC and NOC’s are not to directly get involved in the affairs of the national federations.”
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