Richard Akpokavie completed a remarkable comeback, securing the presidency of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) with a commanding victory that marked a major shift in the nation’s sporting leadership.
Polling 44 votes against rival Michael Aggrey’s 19, Akpokavie finally seized the top post he narrowly missed four years ago. In 2021, he had suffered a close defeat to Ben Nunoo Mensah, losing by just seven votes, but this time he left no doubt about his mandate.
A former General Secretary of the GOC from 2017 to 2021, Akpokavie’s deep roots in Ghanaian sports extend beyond administration. As a former captain of Ghana’s national hockey team, he brings a player’s passion and a leader’s vision to the role at a critical time for Ghanaian athletics.
The GOC board is made up of members who are drawn from Olympic Sports with five slots, a slot for Non-Olympic Sports, a slot for affiliate bodies and three slots for Co-opted members.
The election day also carried heartbreak for others. GFA General Secretary Prosper Harrison Addo failed in his bid for a seat on the GOC Executive Board, missing out as George Lamptey, Delphina Quaye, Kamal Sulley, George Tettey, and Richmond Quarcoo got spots on the board.
Meanwhile, Ernest Danso, President of Ghana Baseball, added another chapter to his growing reputation by winning the position of GOC Third Vice President. Danso, who previously served as Chef de Mission for Ghana at the 13th African Games, beat Mohammed Mahadi decisively with 43 votes to 19.
As Ghana’s sporting fraternity looks ahead, Akpokavie’s presidency and the new board’s fresh energy promise an exciting future.
