Ghana’s first ever gold medalist at the youth Olympics Martha Bissah could ditch Ghana and compete for another country soon following IAAF’s latest decision to lift the ban on nationality switch.
The process had been frozen since February 2017 after IAAF President Sebastian Coe described the rules in place on transfer of allegiance as “no longer fit for purpose” and “open to abuse”.
Bissah is currently in the USA for her four-year scholarship programme at the Norfolk State University in Virginia after been suspended indefinitely by the Prof. Francis Dodoo led administration of the Ghana Athletics Association.
Former Ghana Athletics Association Chairman George Haldane Lutterodt has revealed that Ghana and Africa at large will be at the receiving end following the decision by the IAAF to lift the ban on nationality switch.
The 62-year-old who facilitated Bissah’s scholarship programme insists the young female athlete could soon say goodbye to her country of birth.
“She was happy that such a decision has been taking by the IAAF but how it could affect her or whatever that I don’t know”
“Her ban by the GAA is still in place and that offers her a great opportunity to decide whether to comeback and compete for Ghana or not because for the past four years, she has not competed for Ghana “
“She will now have the luxury and time to decide her own future but I will not be surprise if she decides to compete for another country” he told Starr Sports
A minimum three-year waiting period before an athlete may transfer to represent another Member Federation, the provision that an athlete can transfer only once and that no transfers take place before the age of 20.
The IAAF are to establish a review panel to determine applications.
