A former minister of Youth and Sports has warned that the latest International Olympic Committee (IOC) ban imposed on the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) should not be blamed on the ruling NDC government. Hon. Rashid Pelpuo described as unfortunate the ban imposed on the GOC but was quick to state that it would be unjustifiable for the government to be held responsible for the fracas at the GOC. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Thursday, January 13 2011, suspended the Ghanaian National Committee after the government failed to take agreed steps to ensure no political interference in the body. Ghana has thus become the first African country and the second in the world to be banned following Kuwait in 2010. Spokesperson of IOC, Sandine Ponge in an interview with Citi News said the suspension became necessary after the government of Ghana failed to find a long term solution to the fracas at the GOC. According to Sandine Ponge, ideal efforts had been on-going for the last eighteen months between the IOC and the government of Ghana but government exhibited lack of cooperation and failed to revive the sports legislation before the December 2010 deadline. There has been instability at the Ghana Olympic Committee since two individuals have carried themselves as Presidents for more than a year. Whilst Professor Francis Doodoo is recognised by government, the IOC on the other hand regards Benson Tonko Baba as the President of the GOC. A former deputy Minister of Youth and Sports under the erstwhile Kufuor administration, O.B Amoah told Citi News that the government should be held responsible for the suspension. Mr O.B Amoah described the ban as unfortunate adding that the government could have been more proactive to ensure that cool heads prevailed at the GOC. However, speaking on the Citi Eyewitness News on Thursday Hon. Rashid Pelpuo said it would be unjustifiable for the government to be blamed for the suspension. The Wa central MP explained that the GOC is an independent body and the government is not directly involved in the affairs of the GOC. He said the GOC should be blamed and held responsible for the unfortunate suspension. “I don’t think it would be justifiable to blame government, because the government does not directly get itself involve in GOC affairs. The GOC is an independent body; the body's members are elective and not appointed by government so the operation of the GOC which is directly linked with the IOC is very private and not within government control. So if there is such a thing it must be blamed on the GOC and not government”. Per the suspension, Ghanaian athletes and officials are barred from the Olympic Games and Olympic meetings, and the Ghanaian committee will no longer receive any Olympic funding. If the lifting of the ban by the IOC delays, Ghana could be excluded from the London 2012 Olympics. Hon. Rashid Pelpuo however assured that pragmatic steps would be taken to ensure that the ban is lifted soon. Source: Citifmonline