Dr. Owusu-Ansah Slams Hosting of 2017 AFCON

Dr. Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah, a sports consultant and former Chief Executive Officer of the National Sports Authority (NSA) has slammed the decision of the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MOYS) to bid for the hosting rights of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Dr. Owusu-Ansah, told the media that, hosting AFCON 2017 is a misplaced priority adding that, it will lead to the total collapse of other sporting disciplines in the country.

According to Dr. Owusu-Ansah, Ghana has nothing to prove to the world by hosting the continental football festival. “It will be a total waste of resources hosting the AFCON 2017. It will affect the development and promotion of other sporting disciplines in the country”. He stated.

Dr. Owusu-Ansah said, hosting the AFCON 2017 means, all resources will once again be channelled into football at the detriment of other sporting disciplines.

“Bidding for an event like AFCON is expensive. We don’t have the economic strength to bid for that event and channel resources into other sporting disciplines at the same time. “A multi-purpose sports hall with a 5,000 capacity-seater is capable of hosting 14 different Olympic events, which will be less expensive as well”. He added.

Dr. Owusu-Ansah, however proposed the hosting of All Africa Games (AAG), which he said will lead to the development of sports in the country.

He said, records and statistics shows that, countries which had hosted the AAG have seen tremendous improvement in their performance in subsequent events, whilst those which had not hosted the event before, keep dropping on the medal table of AAG every four years.

Dr. Owusu-Ansah, said the AAG will lead to the development of sporting facilities in the country and this will later provide the platform for sports men and women to train and improve upon their performance in future games.