GC coach beats a Ghana drama

THE Gold Coaster who helped Ghana’s Commonwealth Games road cyclists with gear and coaching will have an ongoing involvement despite dramas dogging the overall team.

Ghana lurched from one controversy to the next during the Games which ended on Sunday.

Senior members of Ghana sporting bodies were called back home from the Gold Coast to help with police investigations, while a visa scandal involved a group trying to enter Australia allegedly under “false pretence”.

A Bulletin story prior to the Games starting about Gold

Coast road cycling enthusiast and GC Bike Fit owner Peter Spencer fundraising equipment and helping coach Ghana’s athletes also sparked controversy.

Ghana team bosses called the Bulletin to a meeting at its hotel to outline how the story – which described the team as “skint” and needing better gear – had sparked upheaval back in Ghana’s parliament and demanded an apology.

Now it has emerged via Ghana news site Liquid Sports Ghana that during the Games some of Ghana’s athletes threatened to boycott their events because of a row about per diem allowances.

Athletes were reportedly shocked to receive $1200 as their per diem for the Games a day after it started when coaches and technical officials were paid $1940, Liquid Sports Ghana claimed.

The Ghana-based website, which describes itself as involved in promoting and developing national sport, said it demoralised athletes, with a large group on April 12 deciding to boycott the Games.

The road cyclists were in between different disciplines but Mr Spencer said those he was working with completed their events and his relationship with them will continue.

Mr Spencer said the coverage had “exposed” some things that were happening but some in charge of Ghana sport and cycling wanted to keep the relationship with him going.

“Long-term they want me to be involved and they want me to go to Ghana. Who’d have thought?” Mr Spencer said.

“Their cycling association wants me to go over and help out.”