A Head Coach with the Ghana Weightlifting Association, Michael Johnson Abotsi, is fighting off allegations of bribery prior to the 2023 African Games held in Accra.
Weightlifter Marie Korkor Agbah-Hughes was on Agoro Fie on Onua TV to complain about her unjustified exclusion from Team Ghana ahead of the Accra Games.
She said despite making the cut for selection, she was overlooked by officials for another teammate, based in the UK.
The US-based athlete said she was later told by her manager that Head Coach Abotsi had said he snubbed her because she failed to give him money.
“He told someone that I don’t give him money like others do,” the athlete alleged on Thursday, February 27.
“He told my manager and they wanted to invite another teammate from UK but she did not even honour the invitation.”
But responding to the allegations a day later on the show, Michael Johnson Abotsi said they were absolutely “not true”.
“It is not true because when we are doing the selection for African Games, I am not the only one who sits down to do the selection because we do have six [steps] for the African Games and we want the best.
“So, for her to come to African Games, she is not even qualified to come to African Games.”
He, therefore, described as a “big lie” allegations that he attempted taking money from her as he had not heard from her in a long while prior to selection.
“Even before the African Games, I had not spoken to her for more than five months before the Games. She should give the date of when I said she should give money before she comes.”
Efforts to reach the Ghana Weightlifting Association President, Ahmed Jerry Shaib, for a clarification proved futile.
