Acting Director General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Professor Emmanuel Osei Sarpong, has backed calls for the demolition and reconstruction of the Accra Sports Stadium but says the move would be impractical in the short term because of the lack of alternative venues.

The stadium has undergone several renovation works over the years but continues to fall short of the requirements and standards of FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for hosting international matches.

Some members of Parliament’s Select Committee on Youth and Sports have described the facility as a death trap and called for its demolition.

However, speaking to Joy Sports, Osei Sarpong said shutting down the stadium without securing alternative venues would create difficulties for Ghana’s national teams.

He explained that the facility has played a significant role in hosting matches involving the country’s senior and youth national teams, both male and female, and was previously the only venue certified to accommodate all these fixtures.

“I would say yes because of the long term, but no because in the short term you can’t do it. For us, to demolish the Accra Sports Stadium means there are other options where we are supposed to play our matches,” he said.

The NSA acting boss warned that demolishing the stadium without making alternative arrangements could force Ghana to host some of its home matches abroad, increasing the financial burden on the government and football authorities.

“If we are going to demolish it, were we going to play our home games outside the country? That was going to come with some financial burdens more than what we will require to play our matches at home,” he added.

Osei Sarpong maintained that a complete reconstruction of the facility would be beneficial in the long term but insisted that alternative venues must first be secured to accommodate the national teams during the construction period.

“For me, I’ll support the demolition and reconstruction of the Accra Sports Stadium in the long term, but not in the short term,” he stressed.