Derrick Okpoti Charway

• Asif, Umair & Charway, Derrick (2024). Analysing the Role of Sport for Development and Peace Programmes in High-Risk Communities: Violent Extremism among the Youth of Pakistan. In Graeff, Billy; Safaříková, Simona & Cherurbai Sambili-Gicheha, Lin (Ed.), Routledge Handbook of the Global South in Sport for Development and Peace. Routledge. ISSN 978-1-032-66756-0. doi: 10.4324/9781032667805-18. Show summary

  The history and geographical vulnerability of Pakistan with regard to violent extremism (VE) and also the growing use of sport for development and peace (SDP) programmes in some Pakistani communities informed the need for this research. The government's VE preventive interventions have often taken a top-down approach. Also, in instances where civil society organisations are consulted or involved, the role of sport/SDP programmes is neglected despite its socially significant role in local communities and Pakistan as a whole. Given this gap, the study involved four SDP programme implementers and eight youth beneficiaries from two non-governmental organisations (NGOs) located in the Multan district of the Punjab province, where they operate in 27 local high-risk communities. The purpose of the study was to seek local perspectives about the factors considered when implementing SDP programmes in the high-risk local communities. Hedieh Mirahmadi's BRAVE Model was the theoretical tool used to analyse the factors that the organisations consider when they engage vulnerable youth from the targeted communities. Through a semi-structured in-depth interview and document analysis, the findings showed that sociological and psychological factors were the main considerations when executing SDP programmes. Other factors such as economics, political and ideologies, beliefs, and values were less emphasised. We also discussed the government's recent scrutiny of NGOs in Pakistan and its implication for sustaining SDP.

• Charway, Derrick; Banda, Davies; Bitugu, Bella Bello & Lindsey, Iain (2024). A Multi-Stakeholder approach to sport as a tool for development in Africa : Comparing Ghana and Zambia . In Graeff, Billy; Safaříková, Simona & Cherurbai Sambili-Gicheha, Lin (Ed.), Routledge Handbook of the Global South in Sport for Development and Peace. Routledge. ISSN 978-1-032-66756-0. doi: 10.4324/9781032667805-10. Show summary

  This chapter presents a novel comparative analysis of distinctive features of government-led policy implementation using sport as a tool for development in Ghana and Zambia. Countries from the Global South are regarded as the quintessential sites for development following the United Nations (UN) global emphasis on developmental goals since the beginning of the millennium. Governmental engagement in multi-stakeholder collaboration has been consistently advocated by the UN, and many African countries have, over time, engaged with these global agendas and made significant steps to include sport in their development policy agendas. In this study, we sought to understand Southern perspectives on the approaches and structures developed to implement these policy agendas. Focusing on the cases of Ghana and Zambia, semi-structured interviews that elicit the perspectives of key indigenous stakeholders who are involved with local policy implementation are complemented by textual analysis of country-specific policy documents. In Ghana, sport is considered a significant tool for achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and a key element for ‘sectorial issues in social development’ in the country's 40-Year Long-Term National Development Plan (2018–2057). Similarly, sport has been used to tackle development outcomes in Zambia initially instigated by mainstreaming HIV/AIDS in both sports development and physical education programmes. Given this background, the chapter focuses on analysing and comparing networks of Ghanaian and Zambian actors within the sports policy subsystem of both countries. In doing so, the chapter offers a comparative analysis of policy implementation, distribution of resources, multi-stakeholder engagements and collaborations across the two countries.

• Charway, Derrick Okpoti & Strandbu, Åse (2023). Participation of girls and women in community sport in Ghana: Cultural and structural barriers. International Review for the Sociology of Sport. ISSN 1012-6902. 59(4), p. 559–578. doi: 10.1177/10126902231214955. Show summary

  Despite numerous international and national policy documents promoting girls’ and women's empowerment and participation in community sports, the actual access to sport for women and girls is still restricted in several countries. This paper explores the situation in Ghana. Through the analytical lens of Cooky and Messner’s theory of ‘the unevenness of social change’, we analyse the cultural and structural barriers that prevent girls and women from participating in sport in Ghanaian communities. The data material is document analysis, focus groups and semi-structured interviews with male and female officials representing state-funded regional and district sports organisations as well as non-state sports organisations in Ghana. The findings reveal that cultural barriers, rooted in deep-seated cultural norms and structural hindrances that undermine gender-inclusive policies, contribute to the limited participation of girls and women in community sport. Furthermore, the interplay between these cultural and structural factors leads to gender-specific practices and fewer women in leadership positions. Based on our analyses, we suggest that structural changes (enforcing and implementing gender policies) can result in cultural changes (positive gender equality outcomes) over time.

• Charway, Derrick (2022). Olympism as an embodiment of universally shared values? Comparing the perception and application of Olympic values between college athlete and non-athlete students in Ghana. In Georgiadis, Konstantinos (Eds.), Olympic Studies : 28th International Seminar on Olympic Studies for Postgraduate Students. International Olympic Academy. ISSN 978-960-9454-62-9. p. 99–111. Show summary

  The Olympic values education reflects the core essence of Olympism which interweaves sport and education as an integral component of the holistic development of humankind. The popularity and positive claims about the Olympic values education are globally commended and applied by governments, educators, NGOs and youth sport leaders. The purpose of this study is to examine the perception and application of the Olympic values among the youth of Ghana by drawing comparisons between college athlete and non-athlete students of Ghana who have been beneficiaries of the Olympic values education taught as part of the Physical Education curriculum in Senior High Schools of Ghana. The research sample included 440 college students (200 athletes and 240 non-athletes) between the ages of 19 and 30. Using the cross-sectional design, perception and application of the Olympic values were determined by using the Olympic Questionnaire developed by Telama et al. (2002). With regards to perception of Olympic values (i.e. four extracted values using factor analysis), the results showed that athletes scored significantly higher than non-athletes in the social virtues of Olympism (youth togetherness, better world, purity, and gentlemen’s behaviour), human values of Olympism (strength of will, tolerance towards other nations and moral principles), personal profit of professionalism (strength of will, tolerance towards other nations and moral principles) and striving towards growth/development (focus on maximum effort, joy of effort, physical capacity and cooperation). The research result also showed that, at the significant point value (p

• Charway, Derrick Okpoti; Antwi, Bright Baffour; Seippel, Ørnulf & Houlihan, Barrie (2022). Sport and sustainable social development in Ghana: analysing the policy-implementation gap. Sport in Society: Cultures, Commerce, Media, Politics. ISSN 1743-0437. 26(8), p. 1319–1339. doi: 10.1080/17430437.2022.2130051. Show summary

  The global optimism for sport as ‘an important enabler of sustainable development’ by the United Nations appears in many countries’ policy documents. In Ghana, sport is linked to the social dimension of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). But the acknowledgement of the potential of sport, in itself, cannot be the decisive evidence of deep commitment or successful implementation. The research analyses how sport partners (governmental and non-governmental) have been involved and resourced in implementing the government’s commitment to the community health and well-being policy. Qualitative data were derived from government policy documents, government officials and key actors from non-state sport organisations. Matland’s Ambiguity-Conflict Model was the theoretical framework used to analyse the policy-implementation link. The findings identified challenges in policy implementation associated with resources distribution, non-involvement of local implementing actors, football’s overbearing importance and legitimation of sport for development organisations. The impact of these challenges for sustainability were discussed.

• Charway, Derrick Okpoti (2021). Football leadership and public value in Ghana. In Andersen, Svein S; Hansen, Per Øystein & Houlihan, Barrie (Ed.), Embedded Multi-Level Leadership in Elite Sport. Routledge. ISSN 9780367552770. p. 205–220. doi: 10.4324/9781003092728-12. Show summary

  This chapter is about how the national football association of Ghana worked to restore its legitimacy within the Ghanaian society. It addresses the importance of building national identity. Popular mobilisation prompted the government to take action against corrupt leadership in the national football association. Their success reflects their ability to create an alliance between the Federation of International Football Associations and the Confederation of African Football. This is an example of multi-level leadership involving popular protest, government and different levels of governance within the international football confederation.

• Charway, Derrick Okpoti & Houlihan, Barrie (2020). Country profile of Ghana: sport, politics and nation-building. International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics. ISSN 1940-6940. 12(3), p. 497–512. doi: 10.1080/19406940.2020.1775677. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The profile gives an overview of the changing trends of sport policies adopted in Ghana and highlights how past political upheavals made it difficult to have stable sport development strategies. Currently, the emergence of different actors within the sport policy sub-system of Ghana is apparent however the reliance on government for the development of sport makes it difficult to decouple party politics from sport development strategy. The profile begins with a detailed account of the emergence of sport from pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial traditions in the history of Ghana. This is followed by an analysis of the current structure of sport and funding patterns and trends. The dominance of football and contemporary issues such as migration, gender equality and disability are also discussed in terms of their impact on policy. The final part highlights the nascent ‘sport for development’ sector in relation to the United Nation’s MDGs and SDGs and how they have influenced sport policy and development in Ghana.

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• Charway, Derrick (2023). Unpacking cultural diversity in sport management. idrottsforum.org/artiklar.
• Charway, Derrick (2023). Important study provides context to the concept of sport-for-development. idrottsforum.org/artiklar.

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