The Director of Sports and Wellness at the University of Ghana, Dr. Austin Luguterah, has shared his thoughts on the alleged unpaid incentives for athletes of the UG team.
With the 2024 GUSA Games on the horizon, rumours have circulated that some athletes have not been paid since the 2020 GUSA Games, raising concerns about how these athletes will stay motivated to perform.
According to the Sports Director, motivation in sports is not solely about money, expressing the view that this mindset is one reason for the country’s lack of success at the national level.
“Let’s disabuse our minds of the notion that motivation in sports is all about money,” he said. “There are different kinds of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic. Sometimes intrinsic motivation works better, and representing the University of Ghana is a strong enough motivator for an athlete to succeed.” He told Univers Sports’ Petras Anaab Ali
Dr. Luguterah believes the misconception that motivation is only about money has not only impacted youth sports in Ghana but is also prevalent in the national teams, where significant amounts of money are paid to senior players, yet the results are sometimes disappointing.
“Look at the Black Stars,” he said. “We give them huge sums of money—more than some European countries pay—but where has that led us? The reason for wearing the national team jersey is no longer about nationalism; it’s all about money. This is something we need to shift.”
The Director further emphasised that most athletes on Team UG are not primarily motivated by money, but rather by the bigger picture of competing at a high level.
“I speak to the players one-on-one, and the issue of money doesn’t bother them so much,” Dr. Luguterah explained. “They’re more focused on how to prepare adequately for tournaments, through which many of them have received valuable opportunities.”
“As I speak to you, some are getting their visas ready to leave the country after the GUSA Games, and this is due to their determination, not money,” he added.
The University of Ghana will be hosting the West African University Games next year, and Team UG will use the GUSA Games as a build-up to this event.
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Story by: John Foh-Amoaning | univers.ug.edu.gh
