History repeated - Ghana Flag hoisted at 2022 Winter Olympic Games by Alpine skier Carlos Maeder

History repeated - Ghana Flag  hoisted at 2022 Winter Olympic Games by Alpine skier Carlos Maeder

Ghanaian Alpine skier Carlos Meader made history as he represented Ghana at the opening ceremony of the colorful Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games on Friday.

The Switzerland based Ghanaian snow event specialist, was supported by Ghana's Covid-19 Laison Officer  Abdul Aziz Issah.

Ghana has one of the smallest delegations, made up of one athlete and just two officials.

The historic qualification of Carlos Meader automatically entitled "Team Ghana" to a coach, a physiotherapist, a medical doctor, a Chief Liaison or Accreditation Officer, and a Chef De Maison. In some instances, at least one administrator and media officer is permitted for larger qualified teams.

In addition to these, every National Olympic Committee and Secretary General are fully catered for at the invitation of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) whether a country has an athlete qualifying or not.

Without doubt, the value of the exposure that Ghana will get anytime the red, gold and green flag is lifted at the Games is priceless.

Especially as one of the very few snow-less countries (African) to have qualified for the games.

This is not the first time that Ghana is making headlines in the snow at the Winter Olympics.

In 2018, Dutch-Ghanaian Akwasi Frimpong qualified for the Games in Pyongyang in the skeleton event, which attracted global media attention.

Frimpong became the first skeleton athlete from Africa to win an elite skeleton race  sanctioned by the USA Bobsled and Skeleton Federation in Park City, Utah attention in February 2020.

It is huge, that is why many observers felt Ghana should have been more adequately represented in Beijing to maximize the sports tourism and marketing potentials.

The Games took off to the expected unusual start, largely due to the enormous challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The opening ceremony this year was navigated by legendary Chinese film director Zhang Yimou (who also directed the 2008 Beijing opening ceremony), and  focused on the dramatic visual spectacle, with giant LED screens covering the floor and lining the stage.

For the first time in the recent history of the modern Winter Games, no celebrity entertainers were recruited for one of the biggest global sports  Festivals.

GOC Communications