Ghana’s Ministry of Sports and Recreation has denied responsibility for the travel arrangements of the men’s 4x100m relay team ahead of the World Athletics Relays in Botswana.
In a statement issued on May 4, the Ministry said decisions on arrival times, acclimatisation and preparation are determined by the sports federation in line with international competition protocols, not the Ministry.
“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,” the statement said.
The response follows criticism from members of the relay team, who described a difficult journey involving a 14-hour flight and a 16-hour stopover. The athletes said the travel disrupted their preparation and affected their readiness for the event.
The Ministry explained that its role was limited to administrative support, facilitating travel based on proposals submitted by the National Sports Authority in collaboration with Ghana Athletics.
It stressed that it did not alter the travel schedule presented by the federation and remains committed to supporting national teams through established procedures while working to improve coordination and preparation.
The statement comes after Ghana Athletics accepted responsibility for the travel and pre-event challenges, admitting lapses in its arrangements and promising improvements going forward.
