Author: Victoria Kwofie
On Friday, 30th May, the Accra Basketball League organized a seminar on the rules of basketball for stakeholders at the University of Ghana Stadium. The event aimed to clarify the rules, discuss recent amendments, and address concerns raised by players, coaches, and fans.
A survey sent out before the seminar received 22 responses: 17 players, 2 coaches, and 3 fans. The majority of grievances centered on officiating standards.
Leading the seminar was Mr. Iddrisu, Vice President Technical at the Ghana Basketball Association and a FIBA instructor. He guided participants through the core rules of the game, new regulations, and important updates. Mr. Iddrisu emphasized the need for mutual respect, stating, “We are not going anywhere with what we are doing if we don’t respect each other.”
Dr. Eric Opoku Antwi, Vice Chairman of the Accra Basketball League, spoke to journalists after the seminar, sharing insights into the initiative: “This program originated from suggestions by league constituents at the league’s start. That’s why we decided to implement it now. The next step will be a refresher course for referees. We’ve also asked teams to submit cases or incidents needing review, and we are committed to addressing them thoroughly.”
Dr. Opoku Antwi noted that attendance was lower than expected: “I believe we could have had a much larger turnout today. However, introducing something new takes time to gain momentum. The timing and day of the week were challenges for many and likely affected participation. That said, I’m confident future sessions will attract more attendees.”
The seminar covered eight key rules and around fifty articles critical for teams and players to understand. Dr. Opoku Antwi stressed, “At the heart of basketball is mutual respect. The game is played between two teams, with referees ensuring fairness and declaring a clear winner.”
The session proved highly educational, with teams’ concerns addressed in detail, marking an important step toward improving the league’s standards.