Charles Osei Asibey, Secretary-General of the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) has assured sportsmen and women as well as sports fans that the 45th Awards would definitely take place.
In an exclusive interview, he expressed that the major sponsor of the event, MTN, has promised to support and make it small, but virtually grand and exclusive for a few special invited guests.
According to Osei Asibey, the SWAG executive and Awards Planning Committee are trying to find a suitable venue, before the new date would be released. The event was earlier fixed for May 23, 2020, at the AICC.
He stressed that the Covid-19 pandemic which brought all sports events to a halt and caused the world’ biggest sports festival, the Olympic Games to be postponed is to be blamed for the delay of the ceremony, but assured that since the event has gone on, unbreakable since 1973, the hierarchy of SWAG and the sponsors, MTN Ghana are trying their best to find solutions.
He said the Covid-19 has really worried the association, as all their plans, programmes and activities had to be rescheduled.
He was however glad that they have been able to inaugurate some regional branches to inspire sports journalists in the Volta, Bono and Ashanti Regions.
He noted that Ghana is no doubt a sports nation, and engaging in physical activities is a way of fighting the coronavirus.
He urged sportsmen and women to keep on training and preparing well for the next Olympic Games in 2021 in Japan and more importantly the 13th African Games to be hosted by Ghana in 2023.
Charles Osei Asibey appealed to corporate Ghana to support the SWAG Awards, as sports can contribute in fighting the pandemic, make people healthy and make people happy.
The 45th MTN SWAG Awards will see 27 sports personalities who have excelled in the past sports season being honoured.
They include the Sports Personality of the year, Footballer of the Year, Athlete of the year, Para-athlete of the year, Professional boxer of the year, Amateur boxer of the year, Table tennis player of the year, Prospect of the year, Taekwondo athlete of the year and others,
At the launch of the Awards, Kwabena Yeboah, President of SWAG said the best five performing sports federations would be recognized and honoured, namely; weightlifting, rugby, athletics, badminton and arm wrestling.
He hinted that special meritorious awards would be given to the national beach volleyball team, former international football star, Nii Odartey Lamptey, GOC general secretary Richard Akpokavie, former sports administrator Oteng Aboagye and president of Cheetah FC/ Ghana Bodybuilding & Fitness Association Abdul Haye Yartey.
According to the SWAG president, MTN, Ghana Gas, GOIL, ABL and TT Brothers are also going to be awarded for supporting Ghana sports.
Story Credit: Sammy Heywood Okine – AIPS Member
