President Akufo-Addo has officially opened the Borteyman Sports Complex, which will host various sporting disciplines during the upcoming 13th African Games scheduled from March 8 to 23, 2024.
The newly inaugurated complex boasts a 1,000-seater capacity swimming pool, featuring a 10-lane competition pool and an eight-lane warm-up pool. It includes a multi-purpose Sports Hall with seating for 1,000 spectators, catering to basketball, badminton, netball, table tennis, and weightlifting events.
The facility also houses a temporary dome of 500 spectators for handball, volleyball, judo, karate, taekwondo, fencing, and arm-wrestling. A five-tennis court complex, along with a 1,000-seater Centre Court, completes the infrastructure.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony held at the complex on Tuesday, February 13, President Akufo-Addo expressed Ghana’s readiness and capability to host the continent’s largest sporting event.
He reflected on the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic to infrastructure development but emphasized Ghana’s commitment and resilience, culminating in the adoption of a hybrid approach to hosting the games. This approach utilized facilities at the University of Ghana, along with those developed in Borteyman.
Despite skepticism from some quarters urging withdrawal from hosting the tournament, Ghana persevered, resulting in the establishment of significant sporting infrastructure that will leave a lasting legacy for the country.
Minister for Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif, expressed hope that the facility would be diligently maintained to uphold international standards and support the continuous development of athletes.
The 13th African Games will see participation from 49 confirmed African countries, with over 3,500 elite athletes and officials, alongside 3,000 technical officials and journalists. Notably, four of the 23 competitive events—table tennis, tennis, triathlon, and badminton—will serve as qualifiers for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France.