Apology to former Ghana athletics chief, Prof Francis Dodoo

In our stories with the headlines "Athletics Officials Demand Lifting of Bissah's Ban" and "Mahama Demands Settlement of GAA, Bissah Impasse" which were published on July 24, 2021 and August 16, 2021 respectively, Prof Francis Dodoo, former President of the Ghana Athletics Association (GAA), was wrongly accused.

Martha Bissah, the 2014 Youth Olympics gold medallist was handed an indefinite suspension in 2016 for allegedly bringing the name of the association and its president into disrepute, following allegations she made about Prof. Dodoo, a case which became an issue of public interest.

Our attention has been drawn to inaccuracies in aspects of the reports on a press conference by known former athletes and administrators titled, as well as a story in which former President John Dramani Mahama called on the GAA to resolve all issues with the athlete to enable her compete for Ghana again.

Martha Bissah's suspension was lifted by the GAA after rendering an apology

In these publications, we inadvertently implied complicity by Prof. Dodoo as being alleged by the athlete.

The Daily Graphic notes that the former junior Olympian recently rendered an unqualified apology to Prof. Dodoo and the athletics body over the allegations and subsequently had the suspension lifted.

We, therefore, unreservedly apologise to Prof. Dodoo and subsequently retract all publications linking him to the allegations.

Any embarrassment caused by the publications is deeply regretted.