Blog Details

ACCRA, GHANA — The President of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) and the Commonwealth Games Association (CGA) has made the most passionate and candid addresses in recent sports history, the President, Mr. Richard Akpokavie, Esq., has called on corporate Ghana and state policymakers to break the financial monopoly enjoyed by football and intentionally invest in the nation’s diverse sporting ecosystem.

Speaking before a fully packed auditorium at the 2026 GOC/CGA Annual General Congress, the veteran legal practitioner and sports administrator directly confronted the stark funding inequalities that leave dozens of national teams struggling for basic survival while single-discipline campaigns walk away with millions of dollars.

While acknowledging football’s undeniable status as Ghana’s most popular and highly organized sport, Akpokavie made it clear that the nation’s international sporting glory relies heavily on a wider, overlooked network of athletes.

"There is no doubt that football remains our most popular and most organized sport. However, Ghana also has over twenty-four Olympic sports and ten non-Olympic sports whose athletes continue to bring honour and recognition to our nation," Akpokavie stated emphatically.

Rather than arguing for the defunding of the senior national football teams, the GOC President proposed a structured, proportional model for corporate sponsorship. He urged corporate institutions to look at sports development through a broader national lens, especially with major international assignments like the upcoming Commonwealth Games on the immediate horizon.

"As corporate, state institutions and government, it is fair to support football with millions of dollars for World Cup campaigns," Akpokavie argued. "But I respectfully ask that support also be extended to the GOC and other sports. Even as you give football $10 million or $5 million for the World Cup, give the GOC $2 million or $1 million for the Commonwealth Games and other disciplines."

He insisted that a minor shift in corporate funding strategies would yield a massive, nationwide social return. "When this happens, the impact on young people will be broader and more meaningful."

Painting a vivid picture of the diverse aspirations of young people across the country, President Akpokavie reminded the audience that national sports administration must serve the interests of every Ghanaian youth, regardless of their geographical location or their choice of discipline.

He noted that thousands of talented young people outside the football pitch are waiting for the resources to lift the flag of Ghana on the global stage.

"There are many young people from Gambaga to Accra, from Wiawso to Keta who may prefer hockey, boxing, badminton, cycling, volleyball, basketball, canoeing, or armwrestling," Akpokavie noted, calling for a radical shift in how the nation defines and supports athletic excellence.

In a sharp closing remark that resonated deeply with the heads of the non-football federations in attendance, the GOC President demanded that these disciplines no longer be treated as administrative afterthoughts.

"Even if they are in the minority," Akpokavie concluded, "they also deserve the ‘crumbs that fall from the dinner table.’"

Source : GOC Communications