The legal position is that Mr. Frederick Lartey Otu has not violated the Constitution of the Ghana Taekwondo Federation or the World Taekwondo Statutes solely because his tenure extended beyond twelve years as a result of court proceedings.
Mr. Otu has served as President of the Ghana Taekwondo Federation since November 2013. During this period, several legal disputes delayed the Federation’s electoral process, resulting in an extension of his time in office without the conduct of fresh elections.
The World Taekwondo Statutes provide that elected or appointed board members shall not serve more than three consecutive four-year terms, amounting to a maximum of twelve consecutive years. These provisions are intended to regulate elected terms of office and promote good governance among Member National Associations.
According to the legal interpretation, the period during which elections were suspended because of ongoing court proceedings does not, by itself, constitute a breach of either the Ghana Taekwondo Federation Constitution or the World Taekwondo Statutes. Such an extension was occasioned by legal circumstances beyond the control of the office holder and the Federation.
Accordingly, Mr. Frederick Lartey Otu’s continued occupancy of office during the period affected by litigation did not violate the constitutions of the Ghana Taekwondo Federation or World Taekwondo.
However, any decision regarding his eligibility to contest a consecutive elected term must be determined strictly in accordance with the Ghana Taekwondo Federation Constitution, the World Taekwondo Statutes, and any applicable legal decisions or directives issued by the competent authorities.
Respect for constitutional provisions, democratic governance, and the rule of law remains fundamental to the integrity and credibility of sports administration in Ghana.