There is no need for Martha Bissah to apologise for telling her truth - Ex GAA President George Luttrodt

There is no need for Martha Bissah to apologise for telling her truth - Ex GAA President George Luttrodt

Babajide Orevba
updated at April 12, 2023 at 7:46 PM
  • Martha accused GAA of extortion and was asked to apologise
  • This occurred while they were working on a scholarship for her to study in the USA
  • Bissah was subsequently suspended in 2016

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One of the past Presidents of the Ghana Athletics Association (GAA), George Haldane Luttrodt, has defended Ghana’s only Youth Olympic gold medalist, Martha Bissah by stating that it would be out of place for the athlete to apologise to the athletics body for telling the truth.

Bissah accused the GAA of extortion while they facilited a scholarship for her to study in the USA after her excellent performance at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China.

The 23-year old Bissah was subsequently suspended indefinitely in 2016 by the GAA for indiscipline and bringing the name of the association into disrepute with false allegations.

Ex GAA President George Luttrodt says there is no need for Martha Bissah to apologise for telling her truth
Ex GAA President George Luttrodt says there is no need for Martha Bissah to apologise for telling her truth. Source: Facebook/newsbeat
Source: Facebook

For the ban to be lifted, the GAA demanded an apology from the athlete, however, the former GAA President Luttrodt has stated that the athlete would not apologise concerning what she insists is the truth.

Speaking to GNA, Mr Luttrodt said the GAA should have set up a committee to investigate the situation.

“Martha Bissah would not apologise for telling the truth. The girl said she told the truth. What the GAA should have done was to get an external arbitrator to investigate the issue and not placing an indefinite suspension”.

He further continued by saying,

“An external committee should have been formed to hear the girl out but that didn’t happen and GAA would never be forgiven for that”.

The former President described the GAA’s action as illegal for disregarding and refusing to follow the due process. He further called for the expulsion of indefinite suspensions for athletes.

A far as he is concerned, the GAA should rather apologise to Bissah for the suspension and ill-treatment being meted out to her all this while.

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Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Ghanaian comedian, Derek Kwabena Bonney, popularly known as DKB has insinuated that the Ghana Premier League trophy handed over to Hearts of Oak is “subpar”.

Hearts of Oak were crowned champions of the 2020/2021 Ghana Premier League on Saturday, July 17, 2021 at the Red Bull Arena in Sogakope.

In a series of tweets sighted by YEN.com.gh, DKB says the trophy is “cheap looking” and "disgusting".

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Authors
Babajide Orevba photo
Babajide Orevba
Babajide Orevba is a CAF accredited Nigerian journalist and HOD of the Local Desk with over 10 years of experience in media landscape.He studied NCE Political Science/Social Studies, AOCOED.
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