Samson Deen
The recent hue and cry about the absconded Paralympic team has stirred National Paralympic Committee (NPC), Ghana President, Samson Deen, to react from afar.
It came up over the weekend that eleven members of the Paralympic team have absconded in Norway.
To the NPC President, there is no element of truth in the wild allegations.
He has, as a result, denied appending his signature to clear a group of Ghanaian para-athletes to travel to Norway, to represent the nation in this year’s Bergren Marathon.
A Ministry of National Security letter addressed to the Ministry of Youth and Sports and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has stated that a para-athlete, Nana Antwi, had been apprehended by Norwegian security officials.
Samson Deen has denied knowledge of the individuals captured in the letter, and went on to state that his signature was forged in the visa application letter used by the alleged Ghanaian representatives.
The NPC – a reputable organisation dedicated to promoting and developing Paralympic sports in Ghana, has categorically denied rumours that a Ghanaian Paralympic Team absconded in Oslo, Norway.
A press release signed by NPC-Ghana President, Samson Deen, described the reports as false and maliciously misleading, and urged media outlets that carried it to retract their stories and apologise.
The NPC-Ghana stated that the individuals involved, Theodore Mawuli Viworor and Ernest Yaw Ayisi of the Ernestay Disability Foundation, have admitted to facilitating the trip with forged letters from NPC-Ghana and the defunct Ghana Amputee Football Association.
“We want to make things clear that the Ghana Paralympic Team have not applied for a visa, never have anybody, never has the NPC-Ghana, never have I signed any letter for and on behalf of the Ghana Paralympic Team, and never have we or any of our assigns or officers of the Ghana Paralympic Team or the NPC-Ghana applied for a visa at the Norwegian Embassy. What you have seen in the media is a forged letter,” the NPC President stated.
“I want to appeal to the people of Ghana that the pictures, the stories that is going viral has nothing to do with any member or anyone they see in the picture, none of them are involved, or have or are associated to these people. The letters that were sent with my signature on it were forged.”
He added that the individuals are not associated with NPC-Ghana, stressing that their actions constitute impersonation and misrepresentation.
NPC-Ghana emphasised that they have not applied to the Norwegian Embassy to facilitate a Paralympic team’s travel to Norway or sponsored a team to participate in any international competition in Norway.
NPC-Ghana stressed the importance of accurate reporting and protecting disability sports, urging the media to exercise due diligence in the future and to verify information with NPC-Ghana before publishing any news related to the Paralympic team.
The NPC-Ghana reiterated its commitment to promoting disability sports and ensuring that its athletes receive the support they deserve. The organisation expressed its trust in the media’s ability to exercise due diligence in the future and protect the integrity of the athletes.
It has emerged that the Ministry of National Security is investigating the matter.
From The Sports Desk