It is heart warming that the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) has saved Ghana from self-destruction by agreeing to lift the ban on Ghana to enable its athletes to participate in the forthcoming world championships in Berlin, Germany.

Ghana had pursued the path of self–destruction when a peeved member of the sports fraternity had secretly written to the world athletics body of government so- called interference in the running of sports associations in the country.

There was recently the traditional appointment of new members for the various associations under the jurisdiction of the National Sports Council but some rejected members interpreted a new directive by the International Olympic Committee to mean that all old members of associations should remain in office permanently and thus stoutly resisted the change.

Instead of sorting things out at home, a report was made to the international bodies governing sports and their reaction was to quickly sanction Ghana. The first casualties would have been Ghanaian athletes due to compete in the forthcoming world championships in Germany from August 15-23, but a discussion between the Ministry of Sports and the Secretary-General of the IAAF Pierre Weiss has saved the situation .The ban on Ghana has been lifted and Ghanaian athletes will be at the world championships.

The wonder however is why it took the Ministry of Sports so long a time to react to allegations of the so called government interference in sports which has unfortunately given Ghana extremely bad image in the international media.

It is reported that Ghana’s sports minister Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo, has discussed a wide range of issues with the IAAF secretary general. I am sure the IAAF official has been told of government’s massive contribution to sports including the provision of facilities throughout the country. National sports stars are fed, kitted and sponsored for international meetings with accompanying bonuses from the national kitty.

There is a whole ministry in charge of sports, a council for the running of the day to activities of sports programmes and a parliamentary select committee on sports which depicts government’s enormous stake in sports.

It is an accepted practice world wide to involve volunteers in sports administration since it is almost impossible to pay adequately for man hours spent on running sports. It for this reason that volunteers are periodically appointed to run the various sports associations. And some of them rise to gain executive positions on international bodies but their international status does not negate the fact they remain appointed volunteers by the sports council to serve on the national associations.

Now we are being told that the various associations will hold congresses to elect their officers in line with the requirements of the world bodies. Fair enough, but the question is how does one become a member of a sports association in the first place? I submit that this is still the prerogative of the Sports Council. We don’t live in a vacuum. The Council should still have the right to pick people who in their estimation can run the various associations. And if for unstated reasons, it is the new order that those selected should pick their own officers to satisfy the requirements of those international bodies so should it be.

It must however be said there is a growing suspicion that some people are desirous of turning the international sports bodies into a close shop for self appointed sports administration pundits and if care is not taken, that may soon hurt the credibility of these august bodies.

Be it as it may, no individual must be allowed to hold the nation to ransom and it is my considered opinion that what ever has contributed to the mess in the reconstitution of the various sports associations must be rectified quickly.

This self–destruction is not in the interest of Ghana sports.