Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, has pushed back against criticism comparing travel conditions of Ghana’s 4x100m relay team to the handling of the national football team, the Black Stars.
The response follows complaints from members of Ghana’s relay squad after their qualification for the 2027 World Athletics Championships, where athletes raised concerns about exhausting travel schedules before competition.
Sprinter Abdul-Rasheed Saminu revealed that the team endured a 14-hour flight followed by a 16-hour layover, leaving them with limited recovery time before competing. He suggested that such arrangements negatively affected performance and readiness.
He also contrasted the experience with the Black Stars, arguing that football teams typically receive more structured and timely travel arrangements.
However, speaking to Joy Sports, the Sports Minister said the comparison was inaccurate and did not reflect how international sports logistics are managed.
According to him, it is not practical to compare athletics travel planning with football, where team selection and travel arrangements often happen closer to competition dates.
“They were trying to take on the Ministry of Sports and compare with the footballers, but they got it wrong,” he said.
He explained that flight bookings for football teams are usually made within shorter timeframes due to the timing of squad announcements and competition schedules.
Mr Adams acknowledged that late bookings can increase costs for the state, adding that earlier planning would be more financially efficient.
“I’ve had cause to complain that I needed a long notice to purchase tickets ahead of time, so it costs us less,” he noted.
He further stressed that the Ministry operates strictly within schedules provided by sporting federations and does not alter competition timelines independently.
“The ministry doesn’t drastically change the dates and schedules presented by the federations. We work according to their schedule,” he added.
Despite the concerns raised, the Minister maintained that all arrangements are made in line with official protocols to ensure teams are adequately supported for international competitions.
