The Minister for Sports and Recreation, Hon. Kofi Iddie Adams, has held bilateral discussions with his Russian counterpart, Mikhail Degtyarev, on a proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening cooperation in sports development between the two countries.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 14th International Sports Forum, Russia: Country of Sports, in Krasnoyarsk, with discussions focusing on collaboration across sporting disciplines, training opportunities, scholarships, school and grassroots sports development, and anti-doping.
The proposed MoU is expected to provide a structured framework for cooperation, with the preparation of a draft identified as the next step towards formalising the partnership.
Mr Adams emphasised the importance of creating opportunities for young Ghanaians to study, train and develop their sporting abilities in Russia. He also highlighted ongoing efforts to restructure school and grassroots sports in Ghana, stressing the need to strengthen the systems through which promising athletes are identified, nurtured and supported.
The Russian delegation expressed its readiness to explore additional scholarship opportunities for Ghanaian students, creating prospects for greater integration of education, sports training and professional development.
The two sides also discussed cooperation across various sporting disciplines and training programmes that could help strengthen technical expertise and improve Ghana’s sports development system.
Sports financing was another key area of discussion. Mr Adams outlined the Ghana Sports Fund as part of efforts to establish a more reliable funding mechanism for investment in athlete development, sports infrastructure and welfare.
The Russian delegation expressed interest in learning more about the Fund, particularly its governance structure, revenue sources and operational arrangements. This could pave the way for institutional knowledge-sharing alongside the proposed training and scholarship initiatives.
On anti-doping, Mr Adams reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to clean sport while emphasising the need for education, fair procedures and the protection of athletes’ rights.
He cautioned against the misuse of anti-doping processes in ways that could unnecessarily damage athletes’ careers, highlighting the importance of balancing effective enforcement with fairness and the responsibility to protect athletes throughout their development.
The ministers also exchanged views on international sports cooperation and the importance of creating opportunities for athletes to train, compete and improve through strategic partnerships.
The proposed MoU would provide an institutional framework for these discussions, enabling both countries to identify priority areas, establish responsibilities and coordinate activities as the partnership develops.
For Ghana, the engagement presents an opportunity to complement domestic sports reforms with international training opportunities, educational support and technical expertise, while building a long-term partnership focused on youth development and stronger sporting institutions.
