Pius Hadzide rejects blame for 2018 Commonwealth Games visa scandal

Former Deputy Sports Minister Pius Enam Hadzide has distanced himself from the 2018 Australian visa scandal, asserting that the International Games Committee (IGC) he chaired held no mandate to facilitate travel visas for journalists. The controversy, which resulted in the deportation of approximately 60 Ghanaians who posed as media personnel, has resurfaced in public discourse following fresh investigations into sports-related travel arrangements for the 2026 World Cup. Hadzide maintained that while the incident was an embarrassment to the nation, his committee was not responsible for the screening failures that occurred.

Providing context to the scandal, sports journalist Fentuo Tahiru recounted how the deception was uncovered by Australian immigration officials. Many of those who traveled under the guise of journalists were reportedly unable to perform basic professional tasks, such as operating audio recorders or answering fundamental questions about their media roles. This international embarrassment led to the interception and repatriation of dozens of individuals and prompted the suspension of several high-ranking Ghanaian sports officials at the time.

During a recent appearance on JoyNews’ PM Express, Hadzide clarified that the accreditation process was managed independently by the Commonwealth Games Association through an online portal. He explained that once journalists were accredited through this system, they could travel without requiring introductory letters or financial assistance from his committee. Hadzide argued that the arrangement allowed applicants to bypass his oversight entirely, meaning any failures in verifying the professional credentials of the applicants rested with the games organizers rather than the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

The revisiting of the 2018 scandal comes at a time of renewed scrutiny for Ghana's sports authorities. The National Sports Authority (NSA) is currently facing allegations of mishandled visa fees exceeding $623,000 in relation to the 2026 World Cup. While the NSA’s Director-General is currently under suspension pending investigations, his legal team has denied any wrongdoing. The parallel between the two events has highlighted ongoing concerns regarding the integrity of travel facilitation for major international sporting tournaments.