Ministry of Youth and Sports in dark about disappearing paralympic athletes in Norway
The Ministry of Youth and Sports (MoYS) has expressed complete surprise over reports of a Ghanaian paralympic team allegedly disappearing after arriving in Oslo, Norway.
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The MoYS in a statement maintained they were not informed of this Paralympic team or their participation in the marathon.
"We did not receive any communication from the National Sports Authority (NSA) nor the National Paralympic Committee regarding this competition," the Ministry stated.
The standard procedure for athlete travel involves the sports federation submitting a request for visa assistance to the MoYS. This request is then forwarded to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration to facilitate visa acquisition. In this instance, none of these steps were followed.
The MoYS is now collaborating with relevant authorities to investigate the incident. They plan to hold "all parties found culpable" accountable.
The Ministry acknowledged the National Paralympic Committee President's suspension of three individuals potentially linked to the case and expressed cooperation in uncovering the truth.
While highlighting the unfortunate nature of this event, the MoYS stressed it "does not define the dedication and integrity of the entire sports fraternity." It said Ghanaian athletes have consistently displayed "discipline and commitment," bringing national pride on the international stage.
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The Ministry assured the public that "appropriate punitive measures" will be taken against those found responsible. Additionally, they aim to strengthen procedures to prevent similar situations in the future.
They also called upon embassies and consulates in Ghana to verify visa requests claiming to represent the nation in sporting events.