The Ghana Football Association (GFA) says it is dragging the UK newspaper, Telegraph to court to prove allegations its president agreed to fix international matches involving
the Black Stars.Kwasi Nyantakyi is incensed by a report he described as
“inaccurate”, a “representation of half truths and half lies.”
The football fraternity has been hit by a scandal in which the Telegraph newspaper alleged both in print and online that Ghana’s FA president had agreed to fix matches.
A secret video recording of the meeting accompanied the story which was posted on the telegraph website.
The report claimed “TheTelegraph and Channel 4’s Dispatches launched
a six-month investigation into match-fixing after receiving information
that some football associations were working with criminal gangs
looking to rig scores in international games.
“Reporters from The Telegraph and a former Fifa investigator claimed they represented aninvestment company that
wanted to “sponsor” games. Christopher Forsythe, a registered Fifa
agent, along with Obed Nketiah, a senior figure in the Ghanaian FA,
boasted that they could employ corrupt officials who would rig matches
played by Ghana.
“The president of the country’s football
association then met the undercover reporter and investigator, along
with Mr Forsythe and Mr Nketiah, and agreed a contract which would see
the team play in the rigged matches, in return for payment.”
While admitting he met the men involved,
Ghana’s FA president said the circumstances under which the meeting was
held had been totally misrepresented.
He explained that he met the representatives
of the supposed company because of an offer to buy the rights to
organise international matches for Ghana, and not to fix them.
He said at no point in that meeting was the assertion of a match fixing made.
“It is not true we have arranged with match
fixers,” he swore, insisting the report was not only to impugn his
integrity but that of the country.
He said a supposed contract that was to give
the rights to the company to organise international matches on behalf of
Ghana had been forwarded to the legal committee of the GFA to consider
and advice. That advice was yet to come, he clarified.
Among other invectives, the FA chairman believed the publication by The Telegraph is part of aracist agenda by some English press to divert attention from their poor showing at the World Cup and to “rubbish the achievements of Africans”.
This matter must be resolved in court, he stated adding he will “provide them an opportunity to answer in court.”
The FA spokesperson Ibrahim Sannie Daara told Joy News the Telegraph report was a “crude cut and paste job done” by the newspaper and the website.
He explained the supposed representatives of
the company together with Obed Nketiah invaded Ghana’s training ground
in Miami, US, without an appointment but the FA president decided to
meet with them out of courtesy for the Ghanaian who was with them.
He said the reps came to follow up on the
proposal by the company to buy the rights to organise international
friendly matches for Ghana and they were told by the FA president that
he had not seen the contract which was sent to the FA’s legal team and
that the contract was yet to be approved.
Sannie Daara said the Telegraph report
deliberately cut out the portion in which the FA president said that the
FA’s legal team was looking at the contract and would respond
accordingly.
He said contrary to the Telegraph report in
UK that a contract had been signed with the Ghana FA to fix
international matches, no contract had been signed and that the contract
before the FA’s legal committee is a contract to organise international
matches and not to fix matches.
The FA spokesperson said they have reported
the case to FIFA, CAF and the IGP and soon the two Ghanaian
representatives who allegedly met the company on behalf of the FA will
be picked up.
He said the Telegraph is now “clutching at straws” and making unfounded allegations.
He said the report has had a toll on the players but said they are trying hard to insulate the players from the situation.
Meanwhile, lawyers for the two Ghanaians involved in the scandal have also described the Telegraph report as “half-baked”.
A statement issued by their solicitor, Tua Yeboah Alfred said they will take action at the appropriate time.
Nollywood actress, Patience Ozokwo, aka Mama Gee, has finally reacted to
the speculated affair between her and a Delta State-born politician,
Michael Diden aka Ejele. The actress debunked the rumour and stated that
she is not in any romantic relationship with any man at the moment,
including the former Commissioner at Delta State Oil Producing Areas
Development Commission (DESOPADEC), who is also a Pastor.
Following Nigeria’s heroic performance against The Dragons of Bosnia
early Sunday morning, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) top brass has
showered encomiums on The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations for their
constant prayers and support for the Super Eagles.
