Ghana, Egypt Sports Ministries Strike Deal

Ghana’s Sports Minister (L) receiving a memento from his Egyptian counterpart

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif, has discussed and agreed on an anti-doping testing agreement between Ghana’s Sports Ministry and the Egyptian Ministry of Sports.

The Ghanaian minister, who is in Cairo for World Anti-Doping Agency Foundation and Management Board meetings, representing the Sub-Sahara, was able to reach an agreement with his Egyptian counterpart for free blood sample testing for Ghanaian athletes at all times.

According to the agreement, Ghana will send blood samples of athletes for doping control to Egypt for free testing.

South Africa is the only African country with an accredited lab that accepts urine samples. However, Prof. Sobhy informed Ghana’s Sports Minister that Egypt has now acquired the blood sampling test kit, which is more reliable than urine, and that Egypt would gladly assist Ghana by receiving samples and running the test for free.

He also expressed his willingness to share their sports development models to help Ghana in repositioning its sports sector to maximise the sector’s benefits, as requested by Ussif.

“Egypt has structured its sports sector to attract significant investment across the sporting disciplines, so I will consider the relationship between the two countries, and support you with the necessary exchange programmes and technical support to ensure your country reaps massively from sports,” the Egypt Sports Minister added.

He is the first Ghanaian Minister for Youth and Sports to be appointed to the board.

Other African regional representatives include Egypt’s and Madagascar’s Ministers of Sports, who represent Africa’s three slots on the Foundation Board.

He is scheduled to speak at the conference regarding Ghana’s progress on the Anti-Doping Bill, which is currently being prepared for presentation to Parliament, as well as give an update on Ghana’s preparations for the 13th African Games in 2023.

The platform will also be used by the minister to solicit technical and equipment support for the African Games and Ghana’s Anti-Doping Committee.

He was in the company of the Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health who doubles as the Anti-Doping Committee Chairman of Ghana, Dr. Nana Ayew Afrieye.