Former chairman of the Ghana Athletics Association (GAA) George Haldane-Lutterodt has urged the association to take a cue from the ongoing ‘transformation drive’ at the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and position Ghana’s athletics to become a force to reckon with at the global stage.
In an interview with the Times Sports, he said, the peaceful Extraordinary Congress recently held by the GFA and the upcoming elections which have brought forth great personalities to compete, especially for the presidential seat, was something that must be tapped into by other federations.
“With the way the GFA is going, they would definitely restore the image of Ghana football and also come out strongly with the national team as a force to reckon with,” he stated.
That, he said, must be replicated at the GAA and other associations to ensure that the right people were elected for athletes to be assisted to win medals for the country at the global stage.
He praised the GFA for the smooth process so far and was confident that a competent person would emerge to lead Ghana football.
“The GFA has shown that it is a leading association in the country and is doing something that all federations should copy. I’m very proud of how it has handled its election process with people going out and expressing their point of views. It is healthy for football and I’m certain they would all come together after the elections to push football up,” he stated.
Mr Haldane-Lutterodt also commended Ghana’s contingent at the world athletics championships in Doha for their performance, adding that, they could do better with proper management.
“Though both the male and female relay teams did not make it past their respective heats, they still look good as a team and must be monitored and supported to compete well with other countries like the USA and Jamaica,” he stated.
According to him, the athletes cannot be blamed for their poor display as they could get better with proper management.
“The current leadership of the GAA has been in office for almost 10 years and need to put in place measures to ensure that the country excels at world championships,” he stated.
He urged the athletes to continue training and challenged the current administration to provide the athletes with the needed resources to make the nation proud.
Mr Lutterodt congratulated sports enthusiast and former cricket player, Dr Emmanuel Evans-Anfom on his 100th birthday celebrations.
BY MICHAEL D. ABAYATEYE
