August 5 - Government interference in how sports is administered in Ghana could cost the country's top athletes the opportunity to compete at the World Championships, which open in Berlin later this month.
 
The world governing body, the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF), has formally written to the Ghana Athletics Association (GAA), headed by Francis Dodoo, warning them that they could be barred from the Championships, which open on August 15.
 
The IAAF has asked Ghana to make a written undertaken confirming that it would elect new officials democratically before athletes from the country are allowed to participate in the event.
 
This comes after the International Olympics Committee (IOC) was informed about the alleged interference of the Government in the elections of new executives for the Ghana Olympics Committee (GOC).
 
The IOC also expressed concerns over the reconstitution of the various sporting associations.
 
It has been claimed that the chairmen of almost of all the national sports associations were sacked and replaced with those who had identified links with the ruling National Democratic Congress party.

 Benson Tongo Baba, who had been the GOC President for 12 years before being replaced by Dodoo, the 1987 All-Africa Games triple jump champion who is now a distinguished sociologist in the United States, wrote to the IOC to complain about the process, claiming that it was against the Olympic Charter.
 
The IOC have since refused to recognise the election of Dodoo as the new President of the GOC and ordered that Baba be restored to the position or the country will face a ban from the London 2012 Olympics.
 
Dodoo has claimed his election as both chairman of the GAA and the President of the GOC was fair.
 
Vida Anim, the country's top sprinter and the 2006 World Cup 100 metres and 200m bronze medallist, said: "It is very hard on me, having trained from January to July and then one day you receive an e-mail saying you can’t compete.”
 
Ghana's team is also due to include Aziz Zakari, a sub 10 second 100m sprinter who in 2000 won the 100m and 200m in the African Championships and then helped Ghana to victory in the 4x100m relay.
 
He was banned for two years in 2006 after testing positive for anabolic steroids.