The Ghana Olympians Association (GOA), and GOC Athletes Commission (GOC-AC) under the auspices of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) marked the start of a new era for the nation’s sporting elite with a career‑transition workshop titled “The End is the Beginning ooo.”
Held at the media centre of the Accra Sports Stadium on Monday, 5 January 2025, the event aimed to reshape the narrative around athletic retirement, turning the end of a competitive career into a launchpad for professional success.
More than 50 participants gathered, representing GOA members, GOC‑AC delegates, and athletes from a cross‑section of Ghana’s national sports federations. The diverse lineup ensured that the insights shared would be relevant to a wide range of sporting disciplines, from track and field to team sports, and reflected the collaborative spirit that the three organizing bodies hope to nurture beyond the podium.
The workshop featured a lineup of speakers and panelists, former athletes, representatives from the National Sports Authority, and who have successfully navigated the transition from sport to other fields. Former Olympians now working in business, education, and public service shared personal stories, while experts in career coaching, financial planning, and personal branding offered practical tools for building a post‑sport identity.
Addressing the participants, Dr. Fred Awaah, the distinguished and newly appointed Board Chairman of the National Sports Authority urged athletes to cultivate the habit of constant savings, and priorities insurance policies.
“Some efforts, even if the premium for a month is GHc 100.00, make that little effort to put it aside today. You may not see the significance of GHc 100.00, but the future is unknown. You may be making steps thinking that the future would be good but wherever there is good we must make provision also for what, the bad. Insurance covers you in bad days.
He continued,…A lot of you, especially those in this soccer fraternity, they drive the Bugatti’s, they drive the limousines, the Mercedes, the range rovers, have all of the beautiful girls around them, but they are seasonal without an investment. When your active play life is gone, there are tendencies you can become what poor, that which covers you is the level of investment you have been, and that includes an insurance policy.”
The president of the Ghana Olympic Committee, Mr. Richard Akpokavie in an interview with the media expressed satisfaction about the turnout from the various athletes. According to him, the last time the committee held the workshop was in 2016.
He disclosed plans of launching the GOC’s strategic plans with focus on athletes empowerment and development across all sectors.
Prof. Andrew Owusu, president of the Ghana Olympians Association briefly described the session as fruitful. He used the opportunity to invite other athletes to embrace similar workshops aimed at empowering their future.
In an interaction with some participants, Rita Sosu, a fencing athlete expressed gratitude to the GOC for the life-changing workshop.
“I didn’t have any idea about all these things about financial literacy after sport. I was only focusing on what to gain after competing, but this workshop will help to plan more ahead and after”, she said.
Edmund Asante, a karateka also described the workshop as an eye opener, indicating his readiness to empower his financial life after folding his tatami.