Director of Health Promotion at the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Aboagye Da Costa says the lifting of restrictions on contact sports especially football will depend on the advice of the COVID-19 risk committee team in consultation with the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and the Sports Ministry to the government.
The President’s latest address on measures taken to ease restriction amid the coronavirus pandemic saw the ban on sporting activities especially on contact sport extended for another period.
The government has eased restrictions on some sectors of the economy but football and other contact sport remain suspended which has generated talks that the Sports Ministry and GFA are unable to convince the government on the safe return of football amid the pandemic.
Dr Aboagye Da Costa, Risk Committee Leader COVID-19 team in an interview with Ghana’s number one Sports Station Happy 98.9FM said, discussions are ongoing with the Sports Ministry and the GFA on measures to ease restriction for the safe return of football.
He mentioned that any proposal from the Sports Fraternity must have the input of the COVID-19 team since they are the experts before a decision can be taken.
“We are supposed to help them with their plans because we are the experts. Any plan or document by the GFA will be a normal proposal but we the COVID-19 team must coach them on what to do”, he told Ohene-Bampoe Brenya on Happy Sports on Happy 98.9FM
“It’s not that the Sports Ministry or the GFA have not been able to negotiate well for the restriction to be lifted.
“We are always in contact with them and the idea that the government is not interested in Sports is false. We are working to ensure that strict protocols are put in place to ensure that sports return in a safe manner so there wouldn’t be a second wave of the virus”, he added.
