Politics in Sports: Ghana's former sports minister vindicates Wakaso's Black Stars comment

Former Minister of Youth and Sports and Member of Parliament for the Ododoodiodoo constituency in the Greater Accra, Hon Nii Lantey Vanderpuye has reiterated that partisan politics is mainly to blame for retrogression of sports in Ghana.

According to the outspoken member of Parliament, partisan politics has badly affected  not only Ghana's Flagship National Team, the Black Stars, but also most of the apotung federations in the country.

Mr. Vanderpuye's comments come in the wake of similar comment made by Black Stars midfielder Mubarak Wakaso who attributed the team's over three decades long trophy drought to politics.

"I agree with Wakaso a 100%", Hon Nii Lantey Vanderpuye told Angel FM in Accra.

"Let me be honest, partisan politics has badly affected the Black Stars and even some of the Sports Federations.

"I experienced it as a sports minister. Some people in NPP influenced some of the players against my administration as minister and I got to know", the former sports mister added.

The National Democratic Congress(NDC) member of Parliament further disclosed that even members of the then ruling party tried to influence him in the discharge of his duties as a sports minister.

"Some of my own party people too tried to influence me and advised me against entertaining some Black Stars players in my office because they believed these players belong to NPP so I should not deal with them.

"These are facts. We have to throw partisan politics out of sports. We have to understand that Sports should be devoid of politics. It is a big challenge", Hon Vanderpuye concluded.