Ghana's women's long jump record holder, Deborah Acquah, has shared her disheartening experience at the World Championships in Budapest 2023, stating that she was denied financial support despite the Ministry of Youth and Sports extending same to two other athletes.

"The only thing that broke my heart was what happened in Budapest [last year]," Acquah said in an interview with JoySports. 

"Usually, they would just come and give whatever they are supposed to give and go away, but this time, they came and asked about an interview I did with Fentuo [Tahiru, JoySports Editor]."

In that interview, Acquah had mentioned that Ghana had promised her support but failed to deliver.

"I didn't mention anybody's name, but I remember Fentuo asked me and I said Ghana promised me because I didn't want to mention anybody's name," she explained.

When the ministers inquired who had made the promise, she told them it was the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) president, Ben Nunoo Mensah.

"In my four years in school, I have never granted any interview saying I needed help on anything because whatever I needed, my school would provide it. So me talking about it now means that I really need it," she emphasised.

The aftermath of the discussion left Acquah feeling overlooked and undervalued.

"I heard they gave the other two [Joseph Paul Amoah and James Dadzie] some money; I think $8,000 or so. I was thinking I would also be called and given something, but I didn't get anything."

Acquah sought clarity from the president of Ghana Athletics, Mr. Bawah Fuseini, about her situation. His response was disheartening. "He said, 'No,' I am not going to get the money because I got injured when I was in school. So that means that my school is supposed to take care of me," she recounted.

"I was down. I wasn't expecting that from them. I was so shocked."

The situation felt particularly unfair to her, given that her fellow athletes had also dealt with injuries.

"Joe Paul [Joseph Paul Amoah] got injured that year, [James] Dadzie also got injured in school, because I remember his season was really tough, so I was like what happened? Why me?"

She revealed that during the discussion, Coach Professor Andrew mentioned that the responsibility for her promised funds might fall back on Ben Nunoo Mensah.

"While we were having that discussion, Coach Professor Andrew came around and said, 'They said it's because it was Ben Nunoo Mensah who promised me that money so they are going back home to ask him about it and if it was true that he promised me, he would be the one to give me the money.

"When they came home, I had a call from Mr. Bawah telling me that Mr. Nunoo Mensah said he didn't promise me anything, so I said, 'OK.'"

Deborah Acquah won bronze medal for Ghana at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in August 2022.