Herbert Mensah, President of World Rugby’s African Association and former Kumasi Asante Kotoko Board Chairman, has voiced his disappointment over Ghana's diminishing stature as a sporting giant.
His comments follow the Black Stars' failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco, ending Ghana’s two-decade streak of participation in the tournament.
Speaking in an interview with Elton Brobbey, Mensah expressed grave concern about Ghana's overall decline in sports performance, pointing to failures in global events like the Olympics and Commonwealth Games. He attributed this downturn to misplaced priorities, excessive focus on football, and poor resource management.
“We have to look inwardly at ourselves. A great sporting nation like Ghana is no longer a great sporting nation,” Mensah lamented. “You go to the Olympics—we wasted taxpayers' money. You go to the Commonwealth Games—we’ve wasted taxpayers' money. Then you look at the Nations Cup [AFCON], and the amount of money spent, singularly on football, the political sport, is not acceptable.”
Mensah's criticism comes at a time when Ghana's sporting woes are at their peak. The country failed to secure any medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics and struggled to make an impact at the most recent Commonwealth Games.
The veteran sports administrator’s remarks reflect growing concerns about the state of Ghanaian sports, urging leaders to reassess their priorities and adopt a holistic approach to development. His comments serve as a wake-up call for reform in the management of resources and the cultivation of a balanced sports culture to restore Ghana’s once-proud legacy as a leading sporting nation.
