Official: Ghana suspended from IOC

Ghana has been suspended from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) following a decision taking by its Executive Board Thursday January 13, 2011.

An official statement copied to ghanabusinessnews.com from the media relations department of the IOC confirmed that indeed Ghana has been suspended.

“The Olympic Charter has forced the IOC Executive Board to suspended the NOC of Ghana in order to protect the Olympic Movement in Ghana (pursuant to the applicable rules of the Olympic Charter, in particular Rule 28.9), with all consequences provided for in the Olympic Charter”, the statement said.

According to the statement the IOC has deployed every possible effort in order to help resolve the situation that the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Ghana has been facing for 18 months and find a long-term solution with all parties concerned.

Giving the reason for the suspension, the IOC said the obvious lack of cooperation of the government authorities in Ghana and lack of respect of the Ghana public authorities’ written commitment to take all necessary actions to revise the sports legislation in Ghana before the end of 2010 in a sense that would allow the NOC and the Olympic Movement in Ghana to operate in full autonomy.

By Ekow Quandzie
ghanabusinessnews.com