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Accra, Nov.11, GNA-The 50th Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) Awards, held on Saturday, November 11, 2025, brought together distinguished Ghanaian sports legends whose contributions have shaped the nation’s sporting landscape as part of the golden jubilee celebration.
Legends of Ghanaian sports including three-time African Footballer of the Year Abedi Pele, three-time world boxing champion Azumah Nelson, football icons Anthony Baffoe, Emmanuel Armah, Adjoa Bayor, Asamoah Gyan, and Andre Dede Ayew headlined the star-studded event.
With smiles on their faces and memories of their glory days in their hearts, the awardees gathered to celebrate an event that forever honours the achievements of athletes.
Recognized as Ghana’s longest-standing awards scheme, the SWAG Awards has continually paid tribute to sportsmen and women who have contributed immensely to the nation’s sporting landscape.
On its 50th anniversary, SWAG took the opportunity to also honour legends and deserving athletes who carried the nation on their shoulders over the years.
Abedi Pele, Asamoah Gyan, and Andre Ayew all having received the award during their playing days, many current players drew inspiration from their stories, describing the moment as a lifelong honour influenced by the former Black Stars captains.
Speaking at the event, Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang congratulated SWAG for its remarkable success in honouring sportsmen and women over the past 50 years.
She reaffirmed government’s commitment to establish a School Sports Authority to oversee sports from basic to tertiary levels.
She further explained that the proposed authority will also coordinate regular inter-school and inter-university competitions, while strengthening youth talent identification and addressing long-standing infrastructural challenges.
“Investment means continuing our inter-school competitions, community sports programmes, academies, and talent identification structures,” she said, adding that Ghana’s sports ecosystem must be held to high standards to sustain progress.“
Mr. Kwabena Yeboah, President of SWAG, expressed his delight that the awards scheme has upheld its commitment to recognising sporting excellence for the past 50 years.
According to him, despite the hurdles encountered, the association still holds in high regard its mission to encourage sportsmen and women to excel during competitions.
He urged the government and stakeholders to support SWAG in sustaining its annual awards ceremony.
Mr. Yeboah congratulated all award recipients and encouraged them to continue working hard to bring honour to the nation.
Ayew Pele, Azumah Nelson, Margaret Simpson, Adjoa Bayor, Alberta Sackey, along with other distinguished sportsmen and sportswomen, were honored as ambassadors for the 50th Anniversary of the SWAG awards.
In other categories, Black Stars duo Antoine Semenyo and Benjamin Asare were honoured as the Foreign-Based Player and Local-Based Player of the Year, respectively.
The University of Development Studies football team was also named the Sports Personality of the Year.
Full list of awardees
Badminton Player of the Year: Obaponba Adu
Table Tennis Players of the Year: Emmanuel Kummey and James Marfo
Wrestler of the Year: Fuseinu Issah
Coach of the Year-James Kwesi Appiah
Foreign based footballer of the Year (female)-Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah
Local based footballer of the year (female)-Comfort Yeboah
Puller of the Year-Mabel Yeboah
Hockey Player of the Year: Vivian Nakor
Para Athlete of the Year: Zirnabu Issah
Discoveries of the Year: Yayra Akos Agozi and
Michael Agyapong Mensah
Dedication and Valour Awards: Portia Boakye and Yaw Agyemang
Referee of the Year: Daniel Laryea
Club of the Year: Police Ladies FC
Sport Administrator of the Year: Evans Yeboah
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