Ghana Sports Association petitions IOC over GOC electoral process

ACCRA, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- The National Sports Association in Ghana on Wednesday petitioned the International Olympic Committee (IOC) over attempts by the current heads of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) to bend the rules in their favor in the upcoming elections.

The association accused the GOC leaders led by Ben Tongo Baba of introducing rules and procedures for the elections, which clearly contravene the GOC's constitution and the Olympic charter.

Nii Adote Din Barima, spokesman for the association, listed certain areas of concern like the appointment of sub-committees without necessary prior ratification and the unilateral handpicking of individuals with conflict of interest as well as the members of the vetting committees as some of the machinations of the incumbent to twirl the Congress to their favor.

"We hereby call on the IOC to take charge of the electoral process and conduct the elections in accordance with the protocols and conventions of previous elective Congresses of the GOC, and in a manner consistent with the IOC Charter," Barima urged at a press conference here.

Under the GOC guidelines, nominees with less than four years association with a national association do not qualify to contest for any position, a rule which makes ineligible the current executives of the various associations, who were elected in mid-2010 per the IOC Road Map.

"It is in this regard that the group is knocking at the corridors of the IOC to ensure a smooth electoral process in the country," Barimah said.

The congress will be the second for GOC in two years following the failed elections in 2009 that pushed the movement into isolation.

The congress is expected to be held in accordance with recommendations of the IOC as a prerequisite for the readmission of the GOC into its fold after eight months of suspension.

Ghana's membership was suspended by the IOC early this year for perceived political interferences in sports affairs by the Ghanaian government.

The IOC condemned the Ghana government and sports authorities for obvious lack of cooperation with the national Olympic committee.

The IOC declared that its decision was to enable Ghana to take all necessary measures to revise its sports legislation to allow GOC to operate with full autonomy and in accordance with the Olympic charter.

However, the IOC lifted the suspension last August following the passage of the Sports Bill which sought to bring Ghana's regulation in conformity with the Olympic Charter.

The election is scheduled towards the end of the month in Kumasi, a commercial city some 270 kilometers northwest of here, to elect new national executives.

The incumbent president, Baba, has served in that capacity for over 12 years.

By Alex Osei-Boateng