From
allegations of bribes, match fixing and unpaid game premiums to indiscipline
and physical altercations, Ghana is a World Cup nation in crisis.
Earlier in
the week the Ghana FA president had come to the media to clarify some
allegations of match fixing and bribing. Reports had come out that two FIFA
agents had offered money to Ghana FA for them to “act” in a certain way during
their World Cup matches. The reports were denied by the president, saying that
the two men I question had approach him with a marketing offer but that he didn’t
take the deal since he wasn’t sure of its legality or transparency.
As if this
wasn’t enough to cast a cloud over Ghana’s presence in the World Cup, two days
ago the players threaten with a strike for unpaid game premiums. Players were
claiming that they hadn’t received any of the promised bonuses and if the
payments weren’t made they would not take the field against Portugal. This got
escalated all the way to the president of the country, which saw him getting
involved with the FA to ensure the money was paid to the players on time so
they could play their final group game today, against Portugal. This is
decisive match for both teams, since both still have a mathematical chance of
advancing to the round of 16.
The latest
incident comes on the day of the final group game. Today was revealed that
Kevin-Prince Boateng and Sulley Muntari have been kicked out of the national
team camp and sent home. Muntari was already out of today’s game since he was
serving a one game suspension for two yellow cards he received in the earlier
group matches, but Boateng is a last minute “casualty” to this team just hours
before the match.
The Ghana FA
is calling the incidents, acts of indiscipline. That is the reason given for
sending these two players home. The allegations are that Muntari punched a
member of the Ghana FA after the two had an argument on Tuesday, while Boateng
had a verbal altercation with the coach, Kwasi Appiah. Both players have been
suspended indefinitely from the national team, for their actions, which will
have consequences far beyond this World Cup.
According to
local sources, Muntari had an argument with a Ghana FA official over the unpaid
game premiums, the argument eventually escalated and he punched Moses Parker,
the FA official, in the face. Boateng’s altercation happened yesterday during
practice. According to Boateng he and a team mate had some words, and the coach
asked them if everything was ok, to which he replied with yes. Regardless both
players were sent to the showers earlier. After practice he claims that he
approached the coach to ask him if he had anything against him, and later on he
found out he was suspended. He claims that he at no point insulted the coach.
Ghana, just
like many other African nations, always seems to have problems during these
competitions. Most if not all, are money and indiscipline related. This takes
away from their focus and their purpose of being at a World Cup, and perhaps is
the reason why African nations always fail at reaching a semi-final of a big
tournament like this.
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