2023 African Game: Ghana’s gold-medal winning high jumper risks being kicked out of school over fees.
In March 2024, Evans Cadman Yamoah held the crowd spell-bound with a riveting performance as he claimed gold for Ghana in the men’s high jump event at the African Games event in Accra.
Roared on by a proud partisan crowd, the 23-year-old was the toast of fans as the crowd responded with a cheer to every leap on his way to a stunning gold medal.
There was massive pride welling up in the nation at the time, and the Sports Minister, Mustapha Ussif, who presented him with his gleaming medal, called it a unique moment.
Yamoah is six months down the line staring at an expulsion order due to non-payment of tuition fees that run into over $15,000.
Yamoah has been on scholarship since he transferred from the University of Ghana to the University of Central Missouri in 2022.
But because he had already spent two years competing in the collegiate system in Ghana, his NCAA scholarship eligibility had lapsed before he could graduate from the school.
Now in his final year, Cadman Yamoah has been stripped of his scholarship and left to fend for himself.
Yamoah took up a job on campus as allowed, but that barely covers his boarding and feeding, with nothing left to pay for the tuition.
“I have tried a lot of options, but the feedback has not been good,” he told Joy Sports.
Some of the options he tried included writing officially to the Ministry of Youth and Sports to request for financial support.
“I attached all the evidence in the letter as they requested I did, which includes my transcripts and fees portal information, but they never got back to me and have stopped responding to my messages.”
“I also wrote to other state agencies, but none has responded to my email.”.
His parents still live in Ghana and work as civil servants, unable to afford defraying any of their son’s fees.
“The other day, I was called to the accounts office and informed that I have up until December 15th to pay the remaining balance since I am graduating. If I don’t, not only will I not be able to receive my degree, but they will also send me to a debt collection agency, which wouldn’t look very good for me.”
Now, Yamoah has resorted to using the media to appeal well-meaning Ghanaians or institutions to come to his aid. “I am humbly asking for help from anyone who can help me, to please come to my aid to help me graduate. When I had the chance to represent the country, I did it with all my strength and my might.”
. “African Games”-I gave my all to put smiles on faces of Ghanaians by winning gold at the African Games. “I am appealing to the President, former President, private individuals, and businesses, please help me graduate. I don’t want all my years of school to go to waste without my degree,” he appealed. Joy Sports reached Ghana Athletics, the governing body for track and field in Ghana, and officials confirmed they know of Cadman Yamoah’s plight and say they have been trying to get him help because the office itself simply does not have the financial wherewithal to help him.