Ghana Will Participate At The 2016 Rio Games � GOC President

President of the Ghana Olympic Committee Professor Francis Dodoo has insisted that Ghana will participate in this years’ Rio 2016 games scheduled for August 5-21 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Conflicting reports suggests Ghana will boycott the games due to funding but the President reiterated the athletes commitment to participate at the games and assured that team Ghana will represent fully.

“I have not heard anything that Ghana will boycott the games, but some of the athletes drew my attention to the fact that Ghana won’t be at the games due to funding but I believe that report is not true,” he said.

“GOC is doing its part as well as the government and the athletes have been amazing and looking forward to the event in Brazil.”

According to him, The Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) has not taken any decision to write to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) of withdrawing from the games as reported by the media.

He is of the view that it is pre-mature for somebody to think a country like Ghana will withdraw from the Rio games which would have been the first time ever.

“The GOC have not written anything to the IOC for withdrawing from the games. I think it is pre-mature for someone to conclude that Ghana won’t be at the games.

“I want all the athletes to understand that GOC is counting on government to perform its role of ensuring that Ghana participate at the games,” he assured.

He added that, the GOC have had some crucial meetings with the parliamentary select committee on sports and that they are eager to push for Ghana’s participation at the games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Ghana will represent the games with 24 athletes, according to the Chef de Mission Chris Essilfie.

This will be the third time the summer Olympics are held in a developing country, after the 1968 Games in Mexico and the 1988 Games in South Korea.