We are not tools for violence —Powerlifters warn politicians

Politicians and individuals attempting to use macho men and women to perpetuate violence in this year’s election or any other activity have been given a strong warning to desist from the act or be exposed.

According to the President of the Greater Accra Powerlifters Association, Peter Adjei, considering that this year is an election year, “we want to assure the Ghanaian public that our registered members are disciplined and are being regulated by our rules and regulations. We shall not hesitate to expel any of our members who is caught perpetuating any act of election violence or otherwise.”

“It is most unfortunate that some powerlifters have allowed themselves to be used as tools to foment trouble. Examples abound where ‘machomen’ and ‘macho women’ have been used by political parties to wreak havoc on innocent civilians,” he bemoaned.

He said this during a press conference in Accra yesterday to educate the public about the activities of the Powerlifting Federation.

However, he added, “If the need arises for us to engage in any form, we shall use our strength within the confinement of the law and only with the notion of protecting the Ghanaian constitution and discharging our civil duties during the election period.”

He further assured of the regimented nature of the existing and in-coming members and executives of the Greater Accra Powerlifters adding that “we will not engage in any form of deviant behaviour during this very important process.”

Mr. Adjei explained that the Powerlifters Association, which was inaugurated in March 2011, is normally misconstrued with that of weightlifting, bodybuilding and the recently passed Ghana strongest competition.

“Powerlifting consists of three disciplines namely: bench-press, deadlift and squatting,” he revealed.

He further intimated that the organisation is the first and only legal powerlifting entity in Ghana, with the mandate by the National Sports Authority to develop, promote and oversee the powerlifting sport in the country.

While commenting on his outfit’s efforts to see to the growth of this sporting event, he admitted that there was more to be done if “we are to take the soon-to-be out-doored powerlifting federation to the next level and to win Ghana a lot of laurels in powerlifting.”

According to the president, the association since its inception has so far registered about 520 individual powerlifters and 200 gyms across the country which they were working in tandem with to promote powerlifting in the country.

He disclosed that they successfully organised auditions in seven of the ten regions of the country namely, Greater Accra, Western, Central, Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Volta and Eastern last November.

And while touting the achievements of the association in its maiden powerlifting competition in Morocco last October, which fetched them two certificates of participation, he intimated the lack of sponsorship as one of the challenges confronting them.

To this end, Mr. Adjei appealed to government, foreign embassies and corporate organisations to come to their aid in their quest to promote powerlifting in the country.

He further urged all able-bodied men and women to join the association—be it in the Greater Accra Region or their respective regions.

“We are confident that powerlifting will become another sporting event that will be winning many medals for the country, bettering the lives of many able bodied people in the country as sports men and women and also serving as a resource point for various job placements,” he assured.