The Ghana Olympic Committee President, Ben Nunoo Mensah, has denied reports that Ghana’s athletes training in Strasbourg, France are asking for money.
In an interview with the legendary Kwabena Yeboah on GTV Sports+, the President stated that:
“I saw Graphic Sports this morning, and I can say and emphasize that this is not true; there has never been any question of money, per diem, or bonuses yet. The athletes are focusing on their training, and I hope that all Ghanaians will support them and keep them focused on their training. I know the ministry’s main arrangement is that the purseholder travels to Paris when the main games start. This is just the pre-games; they are going to be there for about two weeks, and on July 21st, they move to Paris into the Games Village, and that is where I am sure the arrangements are being made, per diem and all this money.”.
“I am not too sure where Graphic got that story from, but I can tell you, it is not true. I have spoken to the CDM, I have spoken to the team’s captain, and I have spoken to close to seven of the athletes, and nobody said they ever spoke to Graphics, so I do not know where that story is coming from. I can say with authority that this is not true. No athlete has mentioned any money; their focus is on their training.”
He was asked whether they had received any information about their per diem, bonuses, and potential medal winnings.
President Ben Nunoo Mensah insisted that there has never been an issue in camp because all monies due to the athletes will definitely be paid, so the athletes are focusing solely on their training.
“There was a meeting, and these are not issues that were on the table. This is not the time we were thinking about money. The general consensus was that, as is always done, they are going to get per diems, and those who do well and win medals are also going to get bonuses. That has been said in the meeting.”
“Their focus has never been on money. As far as I am concerned, I speak to three of the athletes constantly on the CDM and keep telling them, if you have any thing that the Chef de Mission is not addressing, come to me, so if there were issues that they had mentioned to the CDM and he wasn’t listening, they would have come to me. I have a very good rapport with everybody in camp, so I don’t have any worries, especially when it comes to money. At the right time, there is a purse holder. Mr. Barnor is going to leave for Paris, and sure, whatever money the government has to pay to these athletes, they will pay to them.”
