From the Ghana Paralympic team absconding in Oslo, Norway, to two Asante Kotoko players running away from camp when the club traveled to face DC United in the Capital Africa Cup in the USA.
There have been other interesting and sometimes bizarre stories of Ghanaian sports players either going AWOL, escaping from camp for various reasons, or simply running away.
Here at Pulse Ghana, we highlight 5 times Ghana sports personalities committed of the above.
Below are the 5 times in details
1. Paralympic Team ran away in Norway
Earlier this year, a team of Ghanaian paralympic athletes and technical staff absconded to other Schengen states in Europe after failing to participate in the Fjordkraft Bergren Marathon in Oslo, Norway.
Later, the National Paralympic Committee of Ghana (NPC-Ghana) said the 11 individuals reported to have absconded were not the actual team, and NPC-Ghana president, Samson Deen, pledged to work hand-in-hand with national security agencies to track down the “fake team.”
A team member, Nana Antwi was arrested in his attempt to travel to Sweden via train.
Head coach, George Gyasi Gyamfi, passed away on May 17, 2024, 19 days after he was hospitalized at the Oslo University Hospital for collapsing on April 28, 2024.
2. Kwabena Owusu goes AWOL in Spain
Ghana forward Kwabena Owusu reportedly went AWOL in Madrid after his club CD Leganes 1-1 draw at home to Villarrubia in 2020 and did not turn up at the team’s recovery session a day later at the Sports City.
A bumper offer from Azerbaijani side Qarabag was allegedly behind his move.
3. Ablade Morgan goes AWOL in Saudi Arabia
Hearts of Oak legend, Ablade Morgan was reportedly nowhere to be found after an unsuccessful trial at Saudi Arabian club Al Nasr in 2005.
This forced the club to issue a statement requesting help from the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to contact Saudi and Kuwait officials to assist in finding their player.
4. Emmanuel Osei Banahene leaves team hotel in Egypt
Egyptian club Ismaily accused Emmanuel Osei Banahene of leaving the team hotel with his belongings and switching off his phone without permission from the club in 2016. The club threatened to report him to FIFA.
5. Two Sudanese Asante Kotoko players run away in the USA
Two Asante Kotoko, AbdoelKarem Yagoub and Esmat Al Hasan, both Sudanese nationals, fled from the team’s hotel in the USA.
The club went ahead to form a Ghana DC Select side to take on DC United in the ceremonial Capital City Africa Cup, winning 2-1.
The team reported the two players to officials in the States before returning to Ghana.
