Ghana’s Deputy Sports Minister, Perry Okudzeto believes that football in the country can continue behind closed doors amidst the Coronavirus crisis.
The Ghana Football Association on March 16, 2020 suspended all football competitions following the directives by the President of the Republic of Ghana Nana Akufo-Addo to place a ban on public gatherings and all sporting activities. However, the GFA is reportedly considering the possibility of allowing the remaining matches to be played behind closed doors.
Okudzeto is in support of the idea and believes that it should be explored provided that the safety of all involved can be guaranteed.
“For a football match or any sporting activity to take place, it’s not only the players, technical team, stadium managers, all kinds of people who will come together to make a football match” he said.
“The option of playing in empty stadia is fine. When we get to that point and we think that it’s the best option for us in terms of making out game safe it will be one of the options we will consider. However, as we speak that decision has not been taken,” he concluded.
Sports federations in Ghana, including the leadership of the National Sports Authority and the president of the Ghana Olympic Committee have met with the government’s COVID-19 team.
Issues discussed ranged from possible return of football and other sporting disciplines amidst COVID-19 in a safe environment, safety measures and protocols, plans of government in the fight against COVID-19 among others.
Ghana is close to announcing a roadmap toward easing of COVID-19 restrictions. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo recently revealed that consultations are ongoing with relevant stakeholders on the form and timing of easing the restrictions. The president said the proposed easing of restrictions intends to restore “social and economic lives.”
“I expect these consultations to conclude this week so that I can announce to Ghanaians a clear roadmap for easing the restrictions. We have to find a way back, but in safety, for we cannot be under these restrictions forever,” he said.
Ghana currently has 6,683 COVID-19 cases with the number of recoveries increasing to 1,998 and the death toll reaching 32.