The National Paralympic Committee (NPC) has suspended some of its officials for falsifying documents in order to get visas for purported para-athletes and officials to Norway.
This comes after reports surfaced that 11 para-athletes and officials who went to Norway for a competition in April had failed to register to participate in the event.
According to a letter signed by the Minister of National Security, Mr Albert Kan-Dapah, a member of Ghana’s paralympic team was apprehended by Norwegian officials as he attempted to flee Norway to Sweden.
“Consequently, the Norwegian Embassy in Accra has issued alerts to other Schegen states and Western Diplomatic Missions in Accra, and other European Border Coast Guard agencies as part of efforts to apprehend and repatriate the team members,” the letter stated.
The letter also reported that the team’s coach, Mr George Gyamfi Gyasi, died on May 17, 2024, after being admitted to Oslo University Hospital.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports was in the letter encouraged to take action on the matter so that Ghanaian athletes’ futures are not jeopardised, particularly while competing in foreign tournaments.
Following these developments, the NPC, led by Mr Samson Deen, has imposed an indefinite ban on Mr Theodore Mawuli Viwotor, former General Secretary of the Ghana Amputee Football Association, and Mr Yaw Ayisi, founder of the Ernestay Foundation, for their roles in the incident.
A dismissal letter sighted by GNA Sports said, “The leadership of the NPC Ghana has taken cognizance of your actions and activities, which include unwarranted letters to embassies in Ghana requesting visas for and on behalf of purported para-athletes and officials.
“And also the falsification of the NPC-Ghana letterhead, forging of NPC’s President’s signature and stamp for your illegal operations.”
President of the NPC Ghana, Mr Deen, stated in a recent interview that they had no association with the 11-member para-athletes and officials and had reported the issue to the Ghana Police for further investigations.
The NPC is expected to release a statement in the coming days to uncover their findings after a primary investigation into the issue.
