Sports and Sanitation: Don’t Drop that Litter, Garbage but Drop that Litter, Bribery, Racism.

Feature: Tilda Acorlor.

Sport is a preserver of health not a hub for filth! 

Sanitation plays a big role in sports. 

And this is a good reason why every sportsman should develop the urge to promote good hygienic behavior. 

Sportsmen must work hard to protect and preserve the sanctity in sporting facilities and various forms of sports. 

At the recent world cup in Russia, Japan and Senegal fans stole the headlines when they decided to stay behind after their World Cup matches to ensure the arenas are left clean and tidy leaving no litter behind. 

If World Cups were won because of the behavior of a country's fans, then Japan and Senegal would make the 2018 World Cup final. 

Sanitation plays an important role in preventing diseases from causing illnesses among sports people and fans. According to the American Association of Pediatrics (AAP), Athletes are at a higher risk of contracting diseases like MRSA, staph, herpes, ringworm, impetigo and flu due to negligence and failure in proper sports hygiene. 

The AAP outlines few statistics in their report on hygiene. It states that 10-15% of time lost from practice or competition at the college level is due to skin infections. 

It says up to 23% of athletes have been found to have MRSA - a common antibiotic-resistant infection. Athletes should take note and practice good personal hygiene like washing of the hands, showering after games and proper laundering of sporting apparels on a daily or regular basis, avoid sharing of water bottles, spoons, cups, towels, etc. 

Athletes must as well develop a plan for proper cleaning and maintenance of their sanitary sporting environment. 

Athletes should learn to be healthy and safe whilst playing the sport they love! Fans and spectators must learn how to tidy up stadia by adhering to simple rules of dropping liter into available bins and if possible pick them back home and dispose them properly. 

Heaped garbage isn’t just unsightly for people but they are dangerous to animals which feed on them. 

 It seems that dropping liter at the stadia has become acceptable with a notion that stadia have cleaners who would do the job of tidying up the place. 

Another problem is open defecation and urination. The Ho Sports stadium over the years has suffered various forms of littering, open defecation and urination. 

The scenario at the Ho Sport Stadium appears to be changing, largely because of the intervention of administrators. 

I recall Mr. Kwame Amponfi Jnr. when he assumed office as the Volta regional director for the National Sports Authority.

He was mocked as the “Hygiene Man” because of his radical way of reprimanding any individual who was found littering around the Ho Sports Stadium. 

A stand he has maintained and now is catching on. Good sportsmanship devoid of racism, hooliganism, organised cheating, bribery and all the other sports related vices must be curbed. Essentially all sports fields and surroundings must be clean, litter free. 

Please don't drop that litter there! Do not drop litter, yes garbage at any sports field. It is bad practice. If you do, l pray you are penalized. 

Yet there are litters that must be dropped in all sports. Got the pun? Litter, good and bad! Racism, hooliganism, organised cheating, bribery and all the other sports related vices, are some of litters that all sports people must drop. 

Essentially, just like all sports fields and surroundings must be clean, and litter free, we must identify some liters so as to quickly drop them. 

These litters are disheartening, intimidating, scary and disparaging. 

Racism befalls us every now and then, black athletes who ply their trades outside the shores of their countries attest to the fact that racial comments are usual, although the fight against it is on. 

In 2017, former Black Stars player, Sulley Ali Muntari was a subject of racism when he played for Italian Club, Pescara, who is currently in the Italian Serie B. 

He was booked for complaining about racist chanting from the crowd during his team’s 1-0 defeat at Cagliari in the Serie A. 

Currently, a black skin Belgian, Romelu Lukaku faces same fate as Sulley Muntari in Italy. 

Lukaku was subjected to monkey chants as he prepared to take and score the match winning penalty on September, 1 2019 at the Sardegna Arena. 

However, following an investigation the Italian Football Federation’s (FIGC) sporting justice panel ruled that the chants could not be considered discriminatory in terms of their “scale and realization”. 

Cagliari, however, got fined €5,000 (£4,430) for rowdy behaviour of fans who threw bottles on to the pitch during that Sunday’s 3-1 win at Parma but not on the discriminatory comments and chants. 

 The England National team led by manager Gareth Southgate is preparing how to react to racism before their Euro 2020 qualifier in Bulgaria on 14 October 2019 following fans racist behavior in June and in 2011 in Bulgaria. 

Study shows that racism has a huge mental health impact on people who experience it. It has an ongoing feeling of sadness, anger, depression and being left out, having little or no trust in anybody apart from family. 

Although racist behaviors continue to exist in certain countries, it appears a lot has happened over the years which present a glimmer of hope for equal treatment of all persons irrespective of their color or race. 

Racism in any form of Sports is a litter that must be dropped! Another litter that needs to be dropped in sports is bribery. In a system where there is corruption there is no fair play. 

Ghana and the rest of the world were caught-aback when Anas’s expose unraveled corruption at the Ghana Football Association (GFA) leaving Ghana football in limbo and doubt. 

Bribery and corruption is a litter that must be dropped! In descent non-sportsmanship behavior is another cancer which needs to be dropped. 

Every sportsman must be clad in descent attire. 

A good sportsman is a disciplinarian in the sport he or she loves, just like in tennis where apology is collective should an athlete hit the net cord or mistakenly gives you a bad serve. 

Though the winner of such point isn't obliged to apologize, it is good court etiquette to do so, simply because you might be on the receiving end of that same misfortune. 

Now, that is good sportsmanship! Vulgar words and crowd violence must be frown upon and dropped like a litter so as to be labeled a good sportsman. 

Sporting activities are unifying forces that bring people together across the world. 

So therefore, Sports can and must be used as a force to champion the campaign for keeping the environment and the world clean. 

It is a fight that must be embraced by all and Sportsmen must be at the forefront of this fight.

Ho Tennis Club Ends A Two-day Homecoming Exhibition.

 Ho, Volta Region. Tilda Acorlor.

The Ho Tennis Club (HTC) has successfully organized a two-day Homecoming Tournament in Ho, the Volta regional capital.

The event is an annual tournament in the HTC calendar, slated for March for members who are not resident (Diaspora) in Ho against members who are based in Ho.

This year’s Homecoming, which involved all members of the club, is the third edition. It was originally supposed to be held in the month of March but rescheduled  to September due to the  Coronavirus Pandemic(COVID-19).

The tennis fiesta replacement was due to the absence of the club's annual Asogli Tennis Tournament which couldn’t also come off because of the absence of the Asogli Yam Festival this year because of COVID-19.

The former captain of the Blackstars, Asamoah Gyan graced the tournament. recently, Gyan has found a new love for tennis within the space of 10 months. 

He was excited at the warm welcome and show of love by the members of HTC and the people of the Volta region.

He played the chairman of the club, Cyril Eyram Bansah in two straight sets, which ended 6-4, 6-4 against the former Sunderland player in front of several fans who have come to see the Baby Jet, a pet name for Asamoah Gyan. 

Earlier, there was the ladies singles between Sedem, the Queen of the Ho Tennis Court against Edinam, a queen from the Diaspora. 

That game saw Sedem beat Edinam 7-0 to maintain her royalty status on the court.

The Day 2 witnessed an impressive performance by Asamoah Gyan and Volta’s number 1, Joseph Narcel Battah in a grudge but a friendly encounter. 

Both athletes entertained the crowd in a classic contest, but Joseph, the nationally-ranked player lost 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 to the visitor.

In the other games, Eli won against Eric by 4-7.

Precious humbled Harriet to a 7-1 victory 

Etornam thumped Sammy 6-3, 6-3 while Joseph hammered Wise 7-4.

ASAMOAH GYAN TO PLAY VOLTA NUMBER 1

Ho, Volta Region. Tilda Acorlor.

New tennis sensation and former captain of the Blackstars, Asamoah Gyan will Sunday morning play Volta number one Joseph Battah at the Tennis court in Ho, the Volta Regional capital.

The match which kicks off at 8:30 am on Sunday is described as a ”grudge but a friendly” encounter between the two.

The two athletes would use the occasion to showcase their prowess on the court.

Earlier the striker lost 6-4, 6-4 to the chairman of the Ho Tennis Club (HTC), Cyril Bansah in a special exhibition match on the first day of the ongoing event. 

Joseph Battah is the only nationally ranked player from the region, a feat, which has earned him the onus to be Volta Number 1. He is a member of HTC

The two-day Homecoming event is the third edition.  It is usually played in March every year between members of the HTC, who are not resident in Ho against members who are based in Ho.

Volta RFA Disciplinary Committee Chairman Appointed as High Court Judge.

Ho, Volta Region. Tilda Acorlor.

The Chairman of Volta Regional Football Disciplinary Committee, Mr. Ernest Yao Gaewu, has been appointed as a Justice of the High Court of the Republic of Ghana.

The Ho based legal practitioner was among 16 new Justices of the High Court who were sworn in by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Wednesday, September 16, 2020 at the Jubilee House in Accra. 

Mr. Gaewu, the Regional FA’s lawyer has had a successful spell with the Regional Football Association (RFA) winning a major and popular case against AKAA Future Stars during the 2013/14 football season and adjudicating disciplinary and protest cases between clubs in the region. 

Mr Gaewu joined the RFA in 2011 as Vice Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee when Mr. Kodzo Kumah Dzanku  also a lawyer, was the chairman. 

Mr Gaewu then became the chairman of the RFA Disciplinary Committee in 2014 and has served till date. 

Prior to his appointment to the bench, Mr. Gaewu was the managing partner at Mawulorm Chambers, a prominent law firm in the regional capital Ho, established by Justice Jones Victor Mawulorm Dotse, currently a Supreme Court Judge.

Asamoah Gyan Confirms Participation In Homecoming Tournament In Ho.

Ho, Volta Region. Tilda Acorlor.

Former Black stars skipper, Asamoah Gyan is set to participate in the upcoming Ho Tennis Club (HTC) Homecoming Tournament, slated for Saturday, September 19, 2020, at the Tennis Court in Ho, the Volta Regional Capital. 

Baby Jet, as he is popularly known,  confirmed his participation to the press team of the Local Organizing Committee in charge of the organization of the tournament.

This is the first time the region would witness the footballer’s skills on court.

Gyan, who has found a new love in active tennis lately, has been making waves in Ghanaian media. 

The BlackStars all-time top goalscorer, with 51 goals,  has been winning matches in some single games and touring various tennis clubs in the country as well.

Gyan is likely to play against the Medical Superintendent of the Comboni Hospital, Dr. Cyril Eyram Bansah, who is also the chairman of the HTC.

This weekend’s Home Coming Tournament is the third edition.  It is usually played in March every year between members of the HTC, who are not resident in Ho against members who are based in Ho.

The event was not held in March due to the Coronavirus Pandemic(COVID-19).

The homecoming event will now be a replacement to the annual Asogli Tennis Tournament, which is played in September.

This is because the annual Asogli Yam festival will not be honored this year due to COVID-19.

Other notable names to grace the Tennis Courts this Saturday are Prof Ben. Q. Honyenuga the Vice-Chancellor of Ho Technical University, Togbe Adzima IV of Ho, a national ranked player, Joseph Narcel Kofi Battah, amongst others.

Volta FA Chairman, Daniel Agbogah Meets Two DCEs

Mr Daniel Agbogah, Chairman of the Volta Regional Football Association (VRFA) has paid a courtesy call on the District Chief Executive (DCE) and Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of the Akatsi South and Ketu Municipality respectively.  

The visit was aimed at introducing the executives of the Akatsi District Football Association as well as Ketu Municipal Football Association to their respective District heads, who double as chairmen of the Sports Unit in the Assembly.

The meeting also discussed ways to develop and strengthen football in the Municipality and District. 

Mr. Agboga who was accompanied by the Regional FA Secretary, Promise Ahiagba said the development of football is a collective effort from all stakeholders hence the

”This program of developing football in our region is a collective fight,” Mr. Agbogah said. 

”We need collective attention to channel it” he added. 

He also touched on Youth skills development from the grassroots through sports. 

” If we engage the youth in football, it prevents them from making negative choices.

”Because they are engaged, it prevents and minimizes social vices. Your involvement is important, a stakeholder who will play that significant role in the Journey," he noted.

The District Chief Executive of Akatsi South, Hon, Leo-Nelson Adzidogah, who first received the delegation of football administrators admits that sports (football) can contribute to social development when the right people are in place. 

”In developing sports we look for a lot of things that must come into play, the technical skills, and talent that will impact in sports development,” Mr. Adzidogah said. 

He added that the sports industry can only survive strongly when stakeholders play vital roles in the development of sports through infrastructures. 

”It is time we play a frontline role in the development of sports, if we don't do that the industry will collapse,” 

”When you have the infrastructure and the resources you will motivate people to develop,”  he said. 

The Regional FA then met the Ketu South Municipal Chief Executive, Hon, Elliot Edem Agbenorwu, who reiterated the need for sports development and described it as a shared responsibility for all. 

”Development is a shared responsibility, for you to develop sports, you cannot sit as a chairman and say you have the repository knowledge and say you won't engage anybody, it is good you are having this engagement with us,” Mr. Agbenorwu stated.

This is the fourth and fifth District the regional FA have engaged so far.

It will continue to engage administrative leadership of the various Districts to introduce all nine  District Football Association’s and it's executives under the regional FA. 

The next districts to be visited will be the Kpando, Nkwanta Districts. 

The Regional FA together with the Ketu South Municipal Football Association seized the opportunity to share face masks and hand sanitizers to the general public at the Aflao border, a hotspot noted for the spread of coronavirus.

The gesture was to demonstrate the association's goodwill and interest in the fight against COVID-19.

Source: Tilda Acorlor

Volta FA Chairman and ex- national team players share PPE to general public in Ho

The Volta Regional Football Association (VRFA) together with ex-national team players from the region on Saturday shared Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the general public in the Volta regional capital, Ho. 

The PPE, including face masks and hand sanitizers were donated by the Ghana Black Stars through the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to the Volta Regional FA.

At the market to distribute the PPE was the Regional Football Association Chairman, Daniel Agbogah, the RFA Secretary, Micheal Ahiagba, Ex-national team player in the ’70s, Obed Mensah Aguadze, ex- U-17 (Black Starlet) player in ’99, Fafa Gbadegbe, Ho Municipal Football Association Chairman, Foster Kudiabor and the media, among others.

It would be recalled that the Black Stars donated PPE and assorted items to the GFA to be distributed to Ghanaians as their contribution to the fight against coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19).

Last Thursday, the regional FA and Ketu Municipal Football Association embarked on a similar exercise as at the Aflao Border.