Ghana’s men’s 4×100 metres relay team may have secured qualification for the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing, but concerns over athlete welfare have quickly surfaced following the race.
Team member Abdul-Rasheed Saminu has criticised the Ministry of Sports and Recreation over what he describes as poor travel arrangements ahead of the competition in Botswana.
In a post shared on the social media platform X, shortly after the team booked their place at the global event, Saminu expressed frustration about the conditions the athletes had to endure before competing.
He stated that the team faced a 14-hour flight followed by a 16-hour layover, leaving them with little time to recover before the race. According to him, competing under such conditions affected their readiness and performance.
Saminu also drew comparisons with the treatment of the Black Stars, suggesting that travel arrangements for footballers are typically handled well in advance.
He warned that such logistical challenges risk undermining the performance of athletes, adding that better planning is needed to support Ghana’s representatives on the international stage.
Despite these setbacks, the relay team delivered a strong performance to secure qualification, marking Ghana’s fourth appearance in the men’s 4x100m relay at the World Athletics Championships.
The Ministry of Sports in Ghana needs to better, don’t set us for failure. If it was “black stars” flights tickets will be ready month prior to their game. 14hrs flight 16hrs lay over is not acceptable for professional athletes. We running with jet lag,no proper recovery.
— Saminu Abdul Rasheed (@rasheed_saminu) May 3, 2026
