Ahead of Olympics campaign: Athletes demand allowances
Ghana's top track and field stars are raising their voices, urging the Ministry of Youth and Sports to clear their outstanding allowances ahead of the upcoming Olympic Games.
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These athletes, who have represented Ghana at international events, insist their allowances be paid in the currency promised to avoid financial losses.
As the Ghanaian athletes prepare for the Olympics at their training base in the French city of Strasbourg, they maintain that resolving these financial issues is crucial to maintaining their motivation and commitment to representing the nation on the world stage.
The athletes highlight unpaid allowances from the World Relay Championships in the Bahamas and the African Athletics Championships (AAC) in Douala, Cameroon. Despite their medal-winning performances, they remain in the dark about their promised bonuses.
"This issue is becoming prevalent. We were paid per diem during the African Games last June, but we haven't received any allowances for competing in the AAC. We've returned home empty-handed with bills to pay, especially those of us living abroad," said the athletes, speaking to Graphic Sports on condition of anonymity.
The athletes also express frustration over receiving their payments in Ghanaian cedis instead of dollars. For those based overseas, this poses significant challenges.
"We don't have cedi bank accounts. Receiving cheques in the local currency creates problems. We need to authorise family members to handle the cheques, convert the money, and send it to us. By the time we get it, we lose a lot due to transfers and bank charges," they explained. "It's a big disincentive for us."
The men's 4x100m relay team, who qualified for the Olympics at the World Athletics Relay in the Bahamas last May, and the athletics team in Douala, who won two gold medals and a silver, still await their rewards.
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Official response
The President of Ghana Athletics, Fuseini Bawa, acknowledged the delay in payments and the inconvenience caused by issuing cheques in cedis. He gave an assurance that the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MoYS) has promised to resolve the issue promptly.
"Yes, there are outstanding allowances. I explained to the International Games Committee of the ministry that bonuses for medals at the AAC should be treated like those at AFCON. We're pushing for bonuses as requested in our AAC budget," Bawa stated.
He emphasised the need to address the currency issue to prevent reluctance among athletes to compete for Ghana.
"On the issue of cheques issued in cedis instead of the foreign currency, for the foreign-based athletes, it is really an inconvenience, and we will continue to engage the ministry to get it resolved so it does not escalate to a point where athletes are reluctant to compete for Ghana.
"Most of our talented athletes are based abroad. We must manage their welfare to ensure mutual benefit—honours for the state and fair rewards for the athletes," he said.
Conclusion
Ghana's track and field stars are making a compelling case for timely and convenient payment of their allowances. As they prepare for the Olympics, resolving these financial issues is crucial to maintaining their motivation and commitment to representing the nation on the world stage.