Africa Rugby appoints Normalisation Committee to oversee operations and elections of Ghana Rugby

Africa Rugby, in partnership with the National Sports Authority (NSA), has established a five-member Normalisation Committee to oversee the Ghana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) and facilitate the election of new national officers by the end of 2024. This follows the resolution of managerial issues that have plagued the organization since 2021. The announcement was made at a press conference presided over by Acting Director General and Board Chairman of the NSA Mr. Seth Panwum.

The committee will be chaired by Mohammed Sahnoon from the Ghana Olympic Committee and includes members Dave Gilbert from World Rugby and Africa Rugby, Abdul-Majeed Bawa, Deputy Director General of the NSA, Bawa Fuseini from Ghana Athletics, and Erica Amoako representing the GRFU.

Mr. Panwum stated that the committee will have the exclusive authority to issue official communications and directives related to Ghana Rugby. He stressed that all directives must be communicated to stakeholders, including African Rugby, and any unapproved information should be disregarded.

During the press conference, attended by Deputy NSA Director General Abdul M. Bawa, African Rugby representative David Gilbert and Governing Board member Sean Irish, Mr. Panwum explained, “After months of discussions with Rugby Africa officials, it was agreed to form a Normalization Committee for Ghana Rugby. This committee will function as an election committee, and its members will not be eligible to contest for any positions during the upcoming elective congress.”

David Gilbert, a member of Rugby Africa’s Judicial Disciplinary Committee, emphasized the need for the Normalization Committee to help Ghana Rugby regain its standing in the sport. He noted that the organization faced potential bans from World Rugby and Rugby Africa due to non-compliance in several areas. “Our goal is to grow the game of rugby in Africa and get players back on the field,” he added.

Resolution of legal issues

Ghana Rugby has been embroiled in legal disputes for the past four years, significantly hindering its growth and development. During this time, some accused members faced contempt charges and received 21-day prison sentences. Additionally, an Accra High Court has barred certain individuals from commenting on issues related to Ghana Rugby, particularly those involving the previous president.

This ongoing litigation threatened Ghana Rugby’s participation in African Rugby activities, impacting players’ ability to train and compete internationally.

Thanks to interventions from the Government of Ghana, particularly the Ministry of Youth and Sports, a team from African Rugby was assigned to collaborate with the National Sports Authority and the Ghana Olympic Committee. After several months of discussions, the decision was made to appoint a Normalization Committee for Ghana Rugby.

Mandate of the Normalization Committee

The newly appointed Normalization Committee, chaired by Mr. Mohammed Sahnoon, will oversee the following responsibilities:

1. Manage the day-to-day operations of Ghana Rugby and collaborate with African Rugby.

2. Ensure compliance with the standards, practices, procedures, and regulations set by African and World Rugby.

3. Organize and conduct an elective congress for national officer elections by the end of 2024.

4. Serve as an election committee, with members ineligible to contest for positions during the congress.

Mr. Panwum further noted that due to the government’s commitment to normalizing Ghana Rugby, the country has been granted the right to host the 2024 Rugby African Women’s Sevens Cup Championship in Accra. The government has invested significantly in sports infrastructure, especially in rugby, and aims to support all sporting disciplines to reach their full potential. He expressed hope that all stakeholders in the rugby community would cooperate with the Normalization Committee to achieve its goals.