Association of African Sports Confederations (AASC) has threatened to withdraw its participation from the 13th edition of the African Games to be hosted by Ghana, next year.
This followed Ghana’s alleged failure to involve the 38-year-old sports body in the planning of the Games.
Copied to President Nana Ado-Dankwa Akuffo Addo, a communiqué signed by Major General Ahmed Nasser – president of AASC, after its Extraordinary General Assembly held on February 2, attributed its ‘unanimous’ decision to the neglect by the Ghana African Games 2023 Committee to involve AASC, the Association of National Olympic Committee Association (ANOCA) and others, in the planning of the Games.
It explained that the fundamental and inherent roles of the AASC and ANOCA were fully neglected, adding that the AASC is the sole technical director of the African Sports Movement.
“The Olympic Movement is composed of the International Federations, International Olympic Committee (IOC) – being represented by AASC in the African continent through its General Assembly.”
The AASC president said their “core belief and main mission are to pool the efforts to serve and act in the best interest of African sports under harmonious cooperation between the African Sports Actors, respecting the roles of each party to make the Games a success.”
When contacted yesterday, a top member of the Ghana 23 Games Local Organising Committee (LOC), Dr Emmanuel Owusu Ansah, parried away the contention of the AASC chief, insisting that organisation of the Games was the responsibility of the African Union.
“We have not neglected anybody. The AASC and ANOCA are part of the technical committee of the African Games and normally collaborate with the African Union and work hand-in-hand with the confederations. However, from the foregoing, they want to take full charge of the organisation as well as the technical aspect of the Games, which we are not comfortable with; and that’s the reason for their reaction.”
According to Dr Owusu Ansah, the issue will soon be handled by the African Union for redress.
Meanwhile, the AASC communiqué sought an urgent response from President Akuffo-Addo, hopefully by the end of this month, “due to the international and African events calendar of member sports confederations as well as the African National Olympic Committees.”
BY JOHN VIGAH
