The National Wheelchair Tennis Team Coach, Philip Plange, has revealed one of his players who were attacked on their way from Nigeria is a nursing mother with a set of twins.
The physically challenged woman who was also attacked with her colleagues abandoned her twins to play for Ghana after the coach convinced her to.
In an exclusive with Captain Smart on Onua TV/FM’s Maakye Thursday, February 16, 2023, the coach noted they had to survive on the benevolence of others in Nigeria since they had no money to feed themselves.
He says they took a $1,200 loan to attend the tournament with a per diem of ₵100 for each player for the 8 days they spent at the tournament including their 5 days in and out transportation.
Narrating how they were attacked on their way, Mr. Plange disclosed Ghana’s number one seeded wheelchair tennis player, Bernard Wilson, was severely injured when the robbers emerged from the bush and crashed their glass with weapons after their counterparts on the road had fired some warning shots.
According to him, he was somehow safe because he was sandwiched by two ladies including the nursing mother who had abandoned her twins for the sake of Ghana.
“…They hit the driver with a stone. I was sandwiched by the ladies who were on my left and right. Tracy Konadu Mensah had two fresh twins and I called her to leave her babies to play for Ghana. She was sitting by my side and got hurt but her injury wasn’t as serious as that of Bernard,” he disclosed.
The team attended the tournament as part of preparations for the upcoming Paralympics Games.
Mr. Plange added they were only taken care of by the National Ambulance Service right after their arrival but has since not been taken to any medical facility for treatment.
Meanwhile, following the publication of the attack on the team Wednesday, February 15, 2023, on Onua Maakye, the Ministry of Youth and Sports issued a letter to wish them well.
By Felix Anim-Appau|Onuaonline.com
