Ghana Athletics has provided clarification regarding the absence of two athletes, Rose Yeboah and Sarfo Ansah, from Team Ghana’s participation in the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
According to preliminary reports, both athletes were denied visas by the Hungarian Embassy in Accra, preventing them from competing in the prestigious event.
Rose Yeboah, the African Champion in the women’s high jump, recently won gold at the World University Games in China with a new national record of 1.94m.
In a statement, Ghana Athletics claimed Yeboah’s participation was hampered by her passport’s limited validity. With less than six months remaining on her passport from the start of the Championships on August 19th, her visa application did not meet the required criteria, which necessitates at least 6 months of passport validity.
Ghana Athletics received confirmation of her selection as a wildcard participant from World Athletics around August 6th, while she was competing in the World University Games. The issue with her passport expiration came to light on August 7th when the World Athletics roster system rejected her entry.
Despite her efforts to renew her passport, the timeline constraints led to her decision to leave for the US on August 15th for school, acknowledging the unlikely possibility of securing a visa in time for the Championships.
The statement also addressed Sarfo Ansah’s exclusion from the team. The sprinter, a late inclusion in the relay team due to Benjamin Azamati’s injury-related withdrawal, also faced visa challenges, according to Ghana Athletics.
However, unlike Yeboah, no explanation was provided by the Hungarian Consulate in Ghana for the rejection of Ansah’s visa application. The Ghana Athletics Committee did not receive clarification on the denial.
Ghana’s remaining athletics team is currently in France for training, set to depart for Budapest on Friday. The team includes Joseph Paul Amoah, the country’s 200m record holder, who clinched bronze at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, marking Ghana’s first bronze in the event since 1978.
The 2023 World Athletics Championships, spanning 10 days, is slated to commence on Saturday, August 19th.
