Ghanaian athletes set to compete in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games are voicing their concerns over unpaid allowances from previous competitions.
These athletes, who earned medals at events like the World Relay Championships in the Bahamas and the African Athletics Championships in Douala, Cameroon, have not received the promised payments.
Speaking anonymously to Graphic Sports, they urged the government to expedite the disbursement of these funds to support their preparations for the upcoming Olympics.
“This issue is becoming more common. We received per diem during the African Games last June, but we have not received any allowances for competing in the AAC.
We have returned home empty-handed with bills to pay, especially for those of us living abroad. We do not have Cedi bank accounts, so receiving cheques in the local currency creates problems.
We need to authorise family members to handle the cheques, convert the money, and send it to us. By the time we receive it, we lose a lot due to transfers and bank charges,” they explained, according to myjoyonline.com.
In response to these claims, Ghana Athletics Association President Bawa Fuseini acknowledged the delay in payments but assured that the organisation is actively working to resolve the issue promptly.
“Yes, there are outstanding allowances. I have informed the International Games Committee of the ministry that bonuses for medals at the AAC should be treated similarly to those at AFCON. We are advocating for bonuses as outlined in our AAC budget,” he told Graphic Sports.
The nine athletes set to represent Ghana at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games include Abdul R. Saminu, Benjamin Azamati, Joseph Paul Amoah, Edwin Gadayi, Joselle Mensah, Isaac Botsio, Fuseini Ibrahim, and Rose Yeboah. The games are scheduled to occur from July 26 to August 11, 2024.