Hockey won’t die — Oko-Nikoi Dzani

Former president of the Ghana Hockey Association (GHA), Oko-Nikoi Dzani, has assuaged fears that his exit from the association would lead to the demise of the sport.

Mr Dzani’s huge financial muscle and contacts had been the main backbone of the sport for 15 years and many feared his exit would grind the sport to a halt.

On the contrary, however, Mr Dzani said the sport stood a good chance of accelerated rise following the election of his successor, Richard Akpokavie, and his team, who over the years had demonstrated that they had the capacity to take the discipline to the next level.

He told reporters minutes after the association’s congress last Saturday in Accra which elected an eight-man team to manage the sport for the next four years that ‘I have worked with most of the new executives at different levels and I know the sport is in good hands.’

He expressed optimism that Mr Akpokavie’s performance as international judge which he distinguished himself at the recently-held Hockey World Cup in the Netherlands plus his contacts as well as his vice, James Amoo-Gottfried’s, strong financial base and influence would catapult the sport to higher heights.