11-member Ghana paralympic team ‘disappear’ in Norway
The Ministry of Youth and Sports (MoYS) has been advised to investigate and take action on reports of members of a Ghana paralympic team absconding on arrival in Norway for a sporting exercise.
The development, if not addressed could have ramifications on future sports activities between the two countries, a statement signed by the Minister of National Security, Mr Albert Kan Dapaah said.
The letter, copied to the ministers of Youth and Sports, Mr Mustapha Ussif, and Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration said, “Cognisant of the development’s potential to hinder future Ghanaian sporting contingents, your ministry is apprised for necessary action.”
According to the letter, members of the Ghana paralympic team absconded to other Schengen states after their arrival in Oslo, Norway on April 25, 2024 for the Fjordkraft Bergen City Marathon.
The 11-member team failed to register and participate in the competition slated for April 27.
Further to this, a member of the team, Nana Antwi, was apprehended and detained a day before the marathon (April 26) by Norwegian security officials for attempting to depart Norway to Sweden on a one-way train ticket.
“Consequently, the Norwegian Embassy in Accra has issued alerts to other Schengen and Western Diplomatic Missions in Accra, and the European Border Coast Guard Agency as part of efforts to apprehend and repatriate the team members.
The letter also disclosed that the coach of the team, George Gyamfi Gyasi, collapsed on April 28 and was admitted to the Oslo University Hospital where he passed away on May 17.
In a related development, the National Paralympic Committee (NPC) has suspended some of its officials for falsifying documents in order to get visas for the purported para-athletes and officials to Norway, reports Ghana News Agency (GNA).
The NPC, led by Mr Samson Deen, has imposed an indefinite ban on Mr Theodore Mawuli Viwotor, former General Secretary of the Ghana Amputee Football Association, and Mr Yaw Ayisi, founder of the Ernestay Foundation, for their roles in the incident.
The dismissal letter sighted by the GNA Sports said, “The leadership of the NPC Ghana has taken cognisance of your actions and activities, which include unwarranted letters to embassies in Ghana requesting visas for and on behalf of purported para-athletes and officials.
“And also the falsification of the NPC-Ghana letterhead, forging of NPC’s President’s signature and stamp for your illegal operations.”
Mr Deen stated in a recent interview that they had no association with the 11-member para-athletes and officials, and had reported the issue to the Ghana Police for further investigations.
BY TIMES SPORTS REPORTER
