Sports Ministry denies responsibility for relay team travel issues

Ghana’s Ministry of Sports and Recreation has stepped back from responsibility over travel conditions that left members of the national men’s 4x100m relay team fatigued ahead of the World Athletics Relays in Botswana, insisting the schedule was never its to control.

The clarification, issued on May 4, follows complaints from athletes about a grueling 14-hour flight compounded by a 16-hour layover, conditions they say compromised their readiness heading into competition.

According to the Ministry, decisions around arrival timelines and pre-competition preparation fall squarely within the domain of sports federations and international competition protocols. “The Ministry wishes to state clearly that arrival timelines and competition preparation schedules are determined by federation engagements and international competition protocols, and not by the Ministry,” its statement read.

The Ministry described its own role as limited to facilitating travel logistics based on recommendations from the National Sports Authority and Ghana Athletics, and was explicit that it made no changes to the submitted schedule. “The Ministry did not vary or alter the travel schedule as submitted by the Ghana Athletics,” it said.

The statement arrives a day after Ghana Athletics itself issued a statement on Sunday accepting full responsibility for the travel and pre-competition challenges encountered by the relay team, an acknowledgement that effectively shifts the focus away from the Ministry and onto the federation’s own planning.

The Ministry said it remains committed to working with stakeholders to strengthen coordination and improve preparation conditions for athletes going forward.