Wheelchair team call for support: For Rio Olympics qualifiers

With the Paralympic Games set to commence in about six months Ghana’s wheelchair team could miss out in the Games unless they immediately raise cash to participate in the qualifiers.

The two main wheelchair athletes, Botsyo Nkegbe and Maclean Atsu Dzidzienyo, have had a difficult time preparing for the competition and already, the Arizona Disabled Sports (AZDS) have invited the Ghanaian duo to the 2016 Desert Challenge, but financial constraint is preventing them.

Coach and captain of the national wheelchair team, Nkegbe, who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic, said they needed the support of the public and corporate bodies to help make the trip. He appealed to the public to assist them after attempts to seek sponsorship from the National Sports Authority failed.

He said, “we need to attend the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) sanctioned event to enable us to qualify for the Paralympic Games in Rio, Brazil, in September and we need to raise $5,000 to enable us to embark on the trip.”

He said as part of their qualification, they were also expected to travel to Switzerland for the Swiss Open, also an IPC-sanctioned competition that would help them qualify for the Paralympic Games.

“The challenge for both of us now is how to raise funds for our flight and accommodation and we would be glad if the public would come to our aid,” Nkegbe said.