Sports Minister Kofi Adams has debunked reports that Ghana provided substandard vaulting poles to foreign athletes during the African Senior Athletics Championships held at the University of Ghana Stadium in Accra.

Speaking to the media, Mr Adams explained that although Ghana’s Local Organising Committee made vaulting poles available, the athletes did not use them.

“It's a standard thing. Yours is to provide the landing surface, the cross bar, and then the stand poles,” he said.

“The vaulting poles themselves are equipment that the athletes normally bring [themselves] because they want to compete with what they are comfortable with. The only thing is that the ITOs will certify it for them.”

According to the minister, the athlete from Benin whose vaulting pole broke during the competition was using equipment he had personally brought to the event. He added that the South African athletes were also using their own poles.

Mr Adams further disclosed that the South Africans paid a deposit at Aviance at the Accra International Airport for the equipment they brought into the country, noting that the deposit would be refunded once they depart Ghana with the equipment.

Ultimately, he underscored the event “generally went well,” apart from the power issues at the beginning, which were later resolved.