The governing body for track and field athletes, Ghana Athletics Association has issued an unqualified apology for its failure to submit athletes’ details from start to finish for the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham, England.
Kindly read below the association’s explanation for the disqualification and apology.
๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ฎย ๐๐๐ต๐น๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ย ๐๐๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป‘๐ย ๐๐ป๐พ๐๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ฑย ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ผ๐น๐ผ๐ด๐ย ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟย ๐๐ต๐ฒย ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐พ๐๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ปย ๐ผ๐ณย ๐๐ต๐ฒย ๐บ๐ฒ๐ปย ๐ฐ๐ ๐ญ๐ฌ๐ฌ๐บย ๐พ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐.
GAA would like to first render an unqualified and heartfelt apology to the menโs 4X100m for the technical oversight that led to the disqualification of the team from the final of the 4X100m relay after comfortably placing 3rd overall in the semi-final.
We also apologize to the many fans of Ghana Athletics around the world, and to the entire nation, we extend our sincere apology.
Indeed, we are all heartbroken given that the menโs 4X100m and coaches have successfully participated in many international events over the past few years; including a 5th place global ranking 14 days ago at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon (USA).
๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐จ๐ค๐ฃ ๐๐ค๐ง ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฟ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ช๐๐ก๐๐๐๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ:
The menโs 4x100m team was disqualified per World Athletics Rule TR 24.11. In short, only athletes whose names are on the final confirmation form as starters can run during the competition.
Ghana originally submitted its 4x100m final confirmation listing four (4) starters and a reserve about 14 hrs before the start of the race on August 5th.
Joseph Amoah, who was originally listed as a starter was subsequently ruled out of participating in the semi-final of the 4x100m on the morning of August 6th.
However, in what we can only describe as an unfortunate oversight, Josephโs withdrawal was not transmitted in time to the Technical Information Center (TIC) by our coaching crew as intended before the race.
GAA is currently engaging major stakeholders on the matter since there are valuable logistical lessons to be learned from this unfortunate outcome.
Sincere apologies,
Ghana Athletics.