Accra, April 04, GNA – The Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) has resolved to give Ghana its full support to host the 13th African Games in 2023.
ANOCA said they would allow the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the Games headed by Dr. Kwaku Ofosu Asare to benefit from its entire marketing strategy and partners.
They also said they considered the Africa Union (AU) Social Affairs Commission and the African Sports Confederations represented by AASC as sport development partners in Africa and that their priority remained its commitment to the success of the African Games in Ghana and the joy it would bring to young people in Africa.
These were included in a statement issued by ANOCA after an extraordinary General Assembly via videoconference to deliberate on happenings around the organization and hosting of the Africa Games in Accra.
Despite giving assurances, ANOCA, however, noted with dismay the signing by the AU administration with the Ghanaian Party of a second contract which was counter to the first one binding the AU to ANOCA, and “which commits Ghana to pay a sum of money to the AU in return for the organisation of the Games, which is tantamount to an unacceptable situation of lawlessness”.
The statement further noted that “Considering the commitment of the African Union within the framework of the contract signed with ANOCA conferring on the latter the right to organise, manage and market the African Games; taking into account the assurances expressed personally by the Commissioner General of the African Union to the President of ANOCA regarding the strict implementation of the said contract.
The General Assembly deplored the illegal and irreverent behaviour of the AU institutions and administrative officials involved in the conclusion of the second contract with Ghana, refused to engage in the process contrary to the international rules for the organisation of Multi-disciplinary Games and requested the ANOCA President to continue to defend the interests of the institution and the African Sports and Olympic family.
“The General Assembly underscores the ambiguous situation often surrounding the organisation of the African Games, as well as attempts to violate ANOCA’s rights thereto; Reiterates its appeal to all stakeholders to strictly respect each other’s rights and obligations and, faced with such violations, decides to assert in the future, if need be, its right to organise its own qualifiers for the Olympic Games,” the statement added.
GNA