The 50th anniversary edition of the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) Awards took place on Saturday night at the Accra International Conference Centre, bringing together Ghana’s top athletes, coaches, sports administrators and journalists in a festive celebration of the year’s achievements.
The landmark gala drew attendance from sporting legends, rising stars and government officials under a theme that emphasised “honouring our past — inspiring our future.”
In one of the night’s standout honours, Antoine Semenyo, the Ghanaian forward playing for Bournemouth FC in the UK, claimed the Male Footballer of the Year (Foreign-Based) award following a strong run in the English Premier League.
The Male Footballer of the Year (Home-Based) accolade went to Benjamin Asare after an impressive campaign in Ghana’s domestic league. Both men were absent on the night due to national team commitments, but their awards were greeted with cheers by peers and guests.
Another highlight was the selection of the University for Development Studies (UDS) football team as Football Personality of the Year, honouring their history-making performance at the FISU World Championship in 2024.
In the women’s categories, Chantelle Boye Hlorkah took home both the Home-Based and Foreign-Based Female Footballer of the Year awards, reflecting her dual influence at home and abroad.
Meanwhile, in aquatic sports, 22-year-old swimmer Joselle Mensah was named Swimmer of the Year after breaking national records at the World Aquatics Championships and dominating the Africa Zone 2 Championships.
The ceremony also paid tribute to the icons of Ghana sport. Former Black Stars captains Asamoah Gyan and André Ayew earned SWAG Lifetime Achievement Awards alongside other legends such as Abedi Pele and Azumah Nelson. The ovations were especially loud when Abedi stepped on stage, evoking memories of his early SWAG award decades ago and celebrating his enduring legacy.
The presence of Ghana’s Vice President, Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang, as Special Guest of Honour lent additional gravitas. In her keynote address, she reaffirmed government’s intention to establish a School Sports Authority to coordinate youth sports from basic to tertiary levels and improve infrastructure across regions. She urged sports media to align their work with national development rather than sensationalism.
The Minister for Youth and Sports, Kofi Adams, also challenged SWAG and sports stakeholders to drive “a new era of integrity, talent-development and African competitiveness.”
Among other major awards: the national men’s 4 × 100 metres relay team was crowned National Team of the Year, while veteran coach James Kwesi Appiah took Coach of the Year.
Other winners included Eddy Yeboah named Sport Administrator of the Year, Bill Eshun as Sports Journalist of the Year, and Joselle Mensah as Swimmer of the Year. Sports such as badminton, table tennis, wrestling and hockey were also celebrated, underscoring the breadth of talent across Ghana’s sporting scene.
The night offered both glamour and reflection.
Many of the past recipients were present, and several spoke of the honour of being part of Ghana’s sporting history. One retired legend noted: “Tonight we celebrate not just wins, but the stories, the struggles, the sacrifices that built our sport.” Others emphasised the need for improved infrastructure, talent pipelines, and funding to keep Ghana competitive on the continent and globally.
In closing, SWAG President Kwabena Yeboah paid tribute to the association’s own journey from a small circle of sports scribes to a major national institution marking its golden jubilee. He congratulated winners and called on the nation to “invest in sport as an engine of hope, unity and national pride.”
Following are selected winners from the 50th Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) Awards:
• Male Footballer of the Year (Foreign-Based): Antoine Semenyo
• Male Footballer of the Year (Home-Based): Benjamin Asare
• Football Personality of the Year: UDS Football Team (University for Development Studies)
• Female Footballer of the Year (Foreign-Based): Chantelle Boye Hlorkah
• Female Footballer of the Year (Home-Based): Honoured to the same athlete (Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah) for her domestic season.
• Badminton Player of the Year: Obaponba Adu
• Table Tennis Players of the Year: Emmanuel Kummey & James Marfo (joint winners)
• Wrestler of the Year: Fuseinu Issah
• National Team of the Year: Ghana men’s 4 × 100 metres relay team
• Coach of the Year: James Kwesi Appiah
• Referee of the Year: Daniel Laryea
• Sport Administrator of the Year: Evans Yeboah
• Sports Journalist of the Year: Bill Eshun
