Low Attendance At ECOWAS Games

There is no gainsaying the fact that the creation of the U-23 ECOWAS Games currently on-going in Abuja, Nigeria, is a brilliant initiative, taking into account the benefits member states stand to gain.

The bi-annual gathering (two years) represent an important moment to solidarise, support, interact and share in the common values of ECOWAS citizens.

However, very little has been done by way of rallying supporters to fill the stands, as it was the case when Ghana hosted the last Hockey nations Cup, thanks to persons like Messrs Magnus Rex Danquah, Oko-Nikoi Dzani and others.

The two gentleman worked tirelessly and strategically to ensure that the national hockey stadium in Accra was full to capacity, even when Ghana was not playing, and that earned Ghana high marks, attracting laud applause from gurus of the sport – like the FIH president, AHF President and others.

All the disciplines –handball, Volleyball, athletics and domestic wrestling have been played in empty stadiums, a situation that kills enthusiasm and morale in sports.

A sports official once remarked “The worst thing to happen to sportsmen is for them to play in an empty stadium.”
A search into what might have accounted for the low patronage of the Games has revealed that a budget intended to take care of publicity of the tourney was ignored by the organizers, hence the low publicity of the Games.

A chat with all the taxi drivers who drive me from my hotel at Asokoro reveal that the organizers have done little in terms of publicity, as a result of the answers they provided to my question, regarding their impression about Games.

The Games will end on Sunday and the baton has fallen on Ghana to host the second edition in two years time.

Source: The chronicle