By: Francis Ofori, GNA
Accra, May 24, GNA – Key stakeholders in Swimming have called on the Ministry of Sports and Recreation and the National Sports Authority to urgently intervene and resolve the ongoing issues affecting the Ghana Swimming Association (GSA).
They said that the continued impasse could derail the growth of the sport stressing that the situation was negatively impacting athletes, and preparations for international competitions.
The stakeholders, including coaches, athletes, and parents both within and outside Ghana, called on the authorities to act swiftly to restore stability, transparency, and good governance within the association.
The Ministry of Sports and Recreation supported the National Sports Authority’s withdrawal of recognition for the Ghana Swimming Association following petitions from swimming clubs and stakeholders demanding free and fair elections and audited accounts in line with the GSA Constitution.
The decision stripped the association of the authority to represent Ghana at both local and international aquatics events, a directive they allegedly defied by selecting and accompanying Ghanaian swimmers to the African Aquatics Championship in Algeria.
In the statement copied to the Ghana News Agency, it said the erstwhile executive board of the GSA had since June 2025 continued to administer the sport without a valid mandate even when its constitutional mandate had expired.
“Among the matters of documented concerns are the following: the erstwhile GSA executive’s failure to present audited financial accounts to its stakeholders and National Sports Authority (NSA) despite several formal requests to do so, failure to convene a General Assembly-approved electoral congress within its constitutional term, its alleged unilateral extension of its own tenure; and its failure to hold annual congresses for four consecutive years,” it said.
According to the group, their grievances were aimed at reclaiming the Ghana Swimming Association and restoring it to credible, accountable, and transparent leadership.
It also urged the Ministry and the National Sports Authority to enforce the stakeholders’ agreement, implement the committee’s decisions, and ensure free and fair elections supervised by the Electoral Commission of Ghana.
“World Aquatics, the international governing body, has separately affirmed the GSA as the sole recognised federation for Ghana swimming, and respectfully calls upon World Aquatics to engage directly with the documented evidence presented today,” it said.
The swimming stakeholders revealed that they had engaged legal counsel and warned that all subsequent actions would be pursued strictly within the bounds of the law.
GNA
Kenneth Odeng Adade