By Tilda Acorlor
One of the founding fathers of Handball in Ghana, Mr. Stephen Komla Hlodze has received the 2023 SWAG Lifetime Achievement Award from the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) at the 48th SWAG Awards In Accra.
The event which took place at International Conference Center in Accra saw the 93-year-old being honored for his remarkable contribution and role that birthed and developed handball sport in Ghana.
Mr. Hlordze, a former staff of the National Sports Authority, (NSA) and Mr. Katé Caesar, then a visiting lecturer at Specialist Training College P. E Department, Winneba, now known as the University of Education, Winneba both introduced and started the Game of handball in Ghana in 1975.
They both formed one of Ghana’s formidable teams that led Ghana to its first international Handball competition and several others.
Although currently, Handball is among the less-known sports in Ghana, having its own financial and infrastructural development challenges, the sport is widely known and has gained ground in the country, it has featured in many international competitions in and outside Ghana.
Mr. Hlodze was honored alongside Captain Retired Andy Sam in the same category of Lifetime Achievement for his illustrious journey, passion, and contributions to football development.
The SWAG Awards is an event to celebrate sports excellence among top-performing sports athletes, federations, and persons who have partnered with and promoted sports in the country as well as top journalists for their long service.
Gary Al Smith, a sports media with the multimedia Group was adjudged the 2023 SWAG Journalist of the Year.
