Linear Addy remains the only female member of the Executive Committee but her position is not permanent as she is only a representative of the constituent bodies of the Football Association.

But Nyantakyi believes a permanent female seat on the EXCO, will help in the promotion of women’s football in the country.

“Apart from Sanford World Clinics, GFA is the sole sponsor of Women’s football in Ghana. We will continue to support Women’s football at an enhanced level to give more meaning and support to Women’s football,” he said.

“Even though Ms. Linear Addy is the representative for women on the executive committee, she is there as a representative of the constituent body, so if the coaches or referees think that she is had enough of her tenure, they can ask her to step aside.

This is an era that we have to encourage more women,” he added.

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By: Citi Sports Desk

The post GFA to create permanent ExCo seat for women – Nyantakyi appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The bid to make the Russia 2018 World Cup failed woefully, the local top flight league is riddled with alleged match fixing, unchecked betting among players and grass root football remains lifeless but yet again a large collection of brains will gather in Cape-Coast for a summit I hope will be more than a tea drinking party to rehash old ideas.

The GFA have managed to bring together all the stakeholders that matter as far as the issue of Ghana football is concerned, now the onus is on them to ensure that deliberations during the three-day summit don’t bypass the establishment of the structures that teach the fundamentals of the game.

It is wonderful that an effort will be made to educate all participants on the modern technologies and trends of the game but none of that makes sense when the factory that will churn out players does not exist.

Nations that are light years ahead of Ghana have taken steps back to do some introspection after they have hit a dead-end but for that to happen the front runners and leaders of the game must firstly admit that the game has gone to the dogs and needs a thorough clean up and restructuring from the bottom up.

It’s great that stakeholders including the National Juvenile Committee, the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MOYS) the Professional Footballers Association of Ghana (PFAG) and Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) will all be in attendance as the FA seeks to draw a roadmap that attempts to save the game from becoming extinct.

The role of the Sports Ministry in all this will make for curious observation as the State has clearly shown through cutting funding for the Ministry by thirty percent that Sports does not hold a lot of importance in the nation-building agenda.

However, the success stories of countries like the United States and Great Britain where the State participates and takes an active interest in Sports is hard to ignore. This goes beyond the mere provision of funds but also putting together visionary policies and adherence to establishing grass root structures.

While the game still has nostrils let us play our part by feeding it oxygen because I fear that there might come a time when our arrogance and lack of interest to develop the game will attract nothing but tears and black roses.

Red Mess

Which man with genuine intentions to be at his best will look in their wardrobe only to pick out a dirty and crumpled shirt while a clean and crisp one stays hanging as he anticipates a date with a highly coveted woman? German tactician and manager Jurgen  Klopp.

Which General, leaves his elite troops in the background while the enemy gains the advantage and is looking to make away with valuables? German tactician and manager Jurgen Klopp does.

Liverpool football club’s last medal of honour in the last decade remains their tag as the giant killers of the English Premier League but even that is threatening to slip away.

Arsenal can barely be considered giants in the current era of the Premier League so Liverpool’s 4-0 victory against them can barely be an oasis in this context.

However, a humbling 5-0 defeat to Man City followed by an indifferent 0-0 performance against Man United and another disastrous 4-1 defeat to Tottenham have Liverpool trailing league leaders Manchester City by 14 points with their giant-killing rep in tatters.

With the team coming off a soul crashing 3-3 draw against Sevilla in the Champions League in midweek, the team yearned for that one result that had the potential, to jumpstart Liverpool’s season.

What better opportunity to do that than in a match against Chelsea at Anfield.

The team sheets provided the first hammer blow, with Sadio Mane, Liverpool’s most influential player left on the bench accompanied by Roberto Firmino, the club’s most hardworking attacker.

This essentially meant that Liverpool would line up with a midfield three of Henderson, Milner and Oxlade-Chanmberlain who prior to the Chelsea match had never played together, while upfront Sturridge was the preferred choice.

The 1-0 scoreline in favour of Liverpool on the stroke of 64 minutes was misleading as Chelsea had till the point created several clear-cut goal scoring chances while the home side labored in their attempts to tease out their opponents.

Indeed Salah’s goal was as a result of Bakayoko accidentally knocking a ball into the path of the Egyptian and not Liverpool’s creative brilliance.

This was the point in the game when the managers needed to earn their salaries and Chelsea’s Conte came out with a grade A.

He quickly made switches that gave his trailing team a competitive advantage going forward and kept them on the front foot till Willian came through with Chelsea’s equalizer.

The decision to leave Mane out of the starting lineup in itself is an unforgivable crime, but the short-sightedness not to notice his role as a counter-attacking outlet right after taking the lead leaves me puzzled and angry at the same time.

Jurgen Klopp failed to take advantage of a Chelsea team struggling to find consistency and approached the match against Chelsea like one with nothing at stake.

His in-game management has been extremely questionable, and I cannot fault Mane for reacting in a very angry manner to his manager after the match.

Such decisions have the tendency to wreck the chemistry of the dressing room.

While there are those who believe that Klopp’s actions will reinforce his complete confidence in the overall quality of his squad I do believe that his actions will lead the big players in the dressing room to question his ambition, judgment and his commitment to remaining among the league’s elite.

In effect, these results will eventually pile pressure on Klopp himself with the progress made by the club during his nearly three-year stint coming under scrutiny.

The irony of it all is that I don’t believe we have seen the last of Jurgen Klopp and his loony decisions.

Trapped in Dark place

At the peak of his powers Derrick Rose, was arguably the best player in the NBA on certain nights and was emerging as the face of the NBA’s youth movement. Before we witnessed the freakish athleticism of Russell Westbrook and John Wall at the guard spot there was Derrick Rose.

Indeed he would go on to become the youngest ever MVP in the history of the league at age 22 in the 2010/2011 while leading the Chicago Bulls to a league best 62-20 record.

He has however never been the same since tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in the opening game of the playoffs in 2012 against the Sixers.

Ever since, he has been plagued with a plethora of injuries and personal situations that have derailed his once Hall of Fame destined career.

In fact Rose hasn’t played in more than 66 games in a single season since 2011-12 and has sustained an incredible 23 different types of injuries since the 2013 season.

The most complex bit for an athlete with the injury history of Rose is overcoming the psychological hurdle once the recovery process is complete.

The fear of sustaining another injury has the potential to eat away at the confidence of a player but it seemed as if Rose had turned that corner and was determined to play the game his way.

“I can’t think about getting injured every time I get out there on the floor, I just want to play free and enjoy myself,” he told reporters shortly after he had joined the New York Knicks.

Playing in only seven games so far this season, Rose was averaging nearly 27 minutes per game. Minutes that would produce 14.3 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game before disaster struck again.

A sprained ankle sustained against the Milwaukee Bucks has left the former MVP mentally drained and frustrated to the extent where he has asked to be away from the team while he sorts himself out.

It remains true that when he is out on the court he still attacks the basket with the same aggression and his finishing around the hoop remains very assured but how does one find the resilience to return when the body just won’t hold up.

A part of me believes that while Rose spoke of playing without any fear, in his head it was the stark opposite.

What he will have to do is find a way to let out all his frustrations while subscribing to some form of therapy that will convince him to find the joy in the little things surrounding the game.

Talking to other players that have suffered his type of situation could also help immensely but to be honest I won’t pretend as If I truly know what the man is enduring.

He will require the Cavaliers family and especially Lebron James to show him some much-needed affection while he goes through these difficult times.

He could have become the one of the greatest ever and might still be in with a chance of winning a Championship with the Cavs.

I don’t know what the future holds but whatever happens, Derrick Rose, please don’t walk away from the game.

By: Benjamin Nketsia/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Final Whistle: A slowly dying game, Klopp delusional, Mental Rose appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

As Kotoko captain Amos Frimpong lifted the trophy aloft under the floodlights of the beautiful Tamale Stadium, FA Cup Committee Chairman Kurt Okraku, let out a big smile. #

For the organizers of the competition, this was yet another beautiful end to the great story of the FA Cup competition which had been running since it was revamped in 2011.

Better publicity

The MTN FA Cup competition has taken publicity more seriously than the GPL. Unlike the Ghana Premier League, GPL, the FA cup has also recognized the important role that social media plays in today’s competitively challenging media landscape, and have tapped into it to their own benefit.

The launch and draw for each round of the competition is very well patronized by the media, and they have contracted some media personnel with huge following on social media to send out tweets about the competition.

Their twitter handle is constantly active, and the FA Cup trophy goes on a tour ahead of the final, and generally creating a great buzz around the competition weeks before the final is played.

Ahead of this year’s final, the organizers spent weeks in Tamale promoting the final. They also created a hashtag #Unmissable, and a mascot named “Obia Nye Obia” just for the final.

The FA Cup final has been played in Takoradi, Cape Coast, Tamale to great turnout – a testament to their great publicity.

More credibility

While the GPL has often been riddled with accusations of referee manipulation and bribery allegations, the FA Cup competition has managed to rid itself of such rhetoric, hence giving the competition more credibility. Unfancied lower tier sides have knocked out premier league opposition in the past without one accusing the other of “buying” the referee. Winners of the competition are often seen as deserved, and clubs have been shown to attach more seriousness to this competition than the GPL.

Former Bechem United, Medeama and Great Olympics coach Tom Strand famously remarked, “I think I like the FA Cup better. It has more credibility than the league, I think and it is better organized.”

This is a great compliment to the competition from a coach who has managed three different sides in both the league and the FA Cup competition.

Better organization

The MTN FA Cup competition begins at the preliminary stage with 48 Division Two clubs, and 48 Division One clubs – that’s a whopping 96 clubs involved at that stage. The 48 qualified teams are then drawn against the 16 Premier league clubs for the round of 64; then round of 32; round of 16; all the way to the final.

If you do the math, the FA Cup competition involves an astonishing 112 clubs. Yet, the FA Cup Committee have distinguished themselves by ensuring a smooth run of the competition every season, with no unnecessary breaks and protests threatening the progress of the competition.

The GPL with only 16 clubs, has an unwanted habit of breaking the league for weeks, and sometimes months, thereby interrupting progress and interest. Plus, it’s a hub for legal battles. The league ended two weeks ago, and clubs are still winning boardroom points. Case in point – Olympics won 3 points against Hearts of Oak after a successful protest, while they had another against Elmina Sharks dismissed – both last week.

More money

The MTN FA Cup winner is guaranteed GHc 150,000 –  Ghc 50,000 as prize money for winning the final, and the additional Ghc 150,000 as support money for their participation in the CAF Confederation Cup competition. Note that the maximum number of matches a premier league team can play before winning the FA Cup is 6, and 7 games if the winner is a division one or division two club. MTN, headline sponsors of the competition, have also been known to dole out several other packages for participants. Clubs that get knocked out at the preliminary stage get compensatory prize money.

While it is not known yet how much exactly this year’s winner of the GPL will get as prize money, last year’s winners Wa All Stars were given $30,000. This year, each GPL club was set to receive $16,000 as their share of sponsorship money from broadcast sponsors of the league –StarTimes. The operational cost of playing 30 league games a season and 7 matches, are obviously miles apart. Put the figures into perspective, and it’s clear which makes more financial sense.

More competitive

The new FA Cup competition was reintroduced in 2011 after it went on a 10-year break without being played. And for the last 7 editions, Kumasi Asante Kotoko are the only traditional “giant” club to win it – in 2014 and 2017. The rest have been won by a lot of first-timers. In fact, the first three were won by first-timers.

In 2011, Nania FC, then in Division One, shocked Asante Kotoko in the final to lift the trophy. En route to the final, the Crocodiles knocked out then league champions Berekum Chelsea.

In 2012, it was New Edubiase who beat Ashantigold to win their first ever FA Cup title. Medeama followed suit in 2013, beating league champions Kumasi Asante Kotoko to their first title.

When Kotoko won it in 2014, it proved the abnormality instead of the usual, as Medeama returned to claim a second title in the 2015 final.

In 2016, two sides with fairy-tale stories met in the final. Sleeping giants Okwahu United had somehow masterminded a great run to the final, but their amazing story was denied a fairytale end, as Bechem United beat them to their own first ever FA Cup triumph, cementing the true meaning of the competitions’ newfound tagline –’Obia Nye Obia’.

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By: Fentuo Tahiru/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Fentuo writes: 5 Reasons why MTN FA Cup beats Ghana Premier League appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

October 22, 2017 marked the end of the Ghana Premier League season. Finally, the torture has ended and calm can return.

To the discerning mind, Ghana has no business running a professional league based on the standards we have witnessed from the just-ended campaign.

A club licensing scheme put together by the GFA which was essentially meant to ensure that participating teams meet certain standards in order to be eligible has been flouted with impunity by all clubs involved.

Indeed if the FA are to strictly go by the standards that they themselves have set not even Wa All Stars, owned by FA President Kwesi Nyantakyi will make the required grade.

As important as structures and the administration of these clubs are, greater evils that have been prevalent throughout the years are now threatening to become a staple feature of the Ghana Premier League.

The manipulation of matches through referees, players, club officials, fans and now betting companies.

Indeed the rot has become accepted among “football people” in Ghana as the appropriate procedure.

Club administrators don’t even bother to debunk allegations of bribery and match-fixing any longer but just casually engage in the act of finger pointing and snitching on each other.

This was the case when Dr. Nduom, owner and bankroller of Elmina Sharks FC took to social media to complain about blatant biased officiating and generic corruption in the game after his team lost to Aduana Stars in a match that eventually handed them the league crown.

One would expect, that a direct accusation of match manipulation would be met by stern anger and denial but instead Chief Executive Officer of Aduana, Albert Commey, merely shrugged it off and proceeded to counter-accuse Dr. Nduom of being equally guilty of paying bribes.

In other instances, players have been heard on record confessing to betting on matches involving their own teams, while fans and club officials have openly threatened to beat up Television crew members and journalists that cover the league.

It is important to note that none of these incidents that are on record have been tackled to a logical conclusion by the FA.

In the buildup to the last round of matches, reports were rife that deals had allegedly been cut between clubs that were relegation-threatened and ones that were in the position to be benevolent.

Despite the awareness created by the media to deter such occurrences, Bechem United went ahead to block the entrance to their stadium with a trailer truck, preventing Startimes from accessing the grounds to telecast perhaps their most important match of the season against Olympics.

In the past the FA have blamed the bad mouthing of the league by certain media houses and individuals for the league’s inability to secure a headline sponsor but one needs to only witness a Ghana Premier League match to witness “unprofessionalism” in its full glory.

A league that has substandard stadia prevents media from doing their work, have no minimum standards of remuneration and allow bribery and corruption to become part of everyday pleasantries is evil and destructive for the game of football.

At this rate, it is safe to say the Ghana Premier League lacks credibility, right from the players and coaches to the club officials and also media men who have witnessed for years the rot and have watched on with arms folded.

Only a probe and a possible cleansing by FIFA with collaboration from government will save this sinking ship.

Bastie brings Banku to earth

The unrivaled king of trash talk of Ghana boxing, the undefeated and controversial Braimah Kamoko better known as Bukom Banku had once again managed to whip up enough interest to almost sell out the Bukom Boxing Arena in the much-anticipated bout against his longtime nemesis Samir Bastie.

Indeed the ability of Banku to draw out a crowd is unparalleled in Ghana, but that would be his only meaningful contribution on the fight night.

The bout dubbed “Make or Break” exposed the aging Banku to the sharp jabs and hooks of the younger and more agile Samir who eventually floored Banku in the third round.

The 12 round untitled bout exposed Banku to more punishment than he had ever received in his professional career and his feet could not hold out much longer as he succumbed to a flurry of punches in the 7th round that sent him to the canvas for a second and final time.

To the crowd present, not only had a loud mouth been handed a deserved beating, but it also came at the hands of one who had long been considered underappreciated and underrated.

For Banku a rematch with Samir will make sense for his pockets but anyone present at the Bukom Boxing Arena would admit that the two boxers are gulfs apart in quality.

Samir must capitalize on the popularity he has gained from the bout to reignite his Professional career while Banku must seriously begin to think about life after boxing because the end is almost here for him.

NBA week one thrills

It’s only the opening week in the NBA, but we can already talk about broken tibia’s, rookie meltdowns, buzzer beaters, fines to star players and managerial casualties.

Gordon Hayward’s Celtics debut lasted barely a quarter and left a sour taste in the mouths of many as he dislocated his ankle and broke his tibia, ruling him out for the season.

This means that rookie Jason Tatum will have to step up big time, while guys like Marcus Smart will have to take on more responsibility.

The Los Angeles Lakers prized asset and number draft pick Lonzo Ball was given a rude awakening by Patrick Beverly of the Clippers in his NBA debut that saw him record 3 points,4 assists and 9 rebounds.

He, however, bounced back in emphatic fashion and was 1 assist shy of a triple-double when he recorded 29 points, 11 rebounds and 9 assists against the Phoenix Suns.

His progress might be slow but he looks a really solid long-term prospect for the Purple and Yellow’s.

On the other side of the Pacific Division, Eric Bledsoe of the Phoenix Suns has reiterated his desire to leave the organization after their terrible 3-0 start to the season and who can blame him.

The Suns are regarded as one of the worst run organizations in the league with their star players like Isaiah Thomas and Goran Dragic all exiting in the past.

They seem set to lose another who is not interested in the painful process of rebuilding alongside a bunch of rookies and sophomores.

The team has already fired its coach after just three games; yes Earl Watson has already been fired.

Kyrie Irving has already attracted a fine from the NBA after responding with obscene language to a fan who sought to create mischief by asking Kyrie the whereabouts of Lebron following the Celtics loss to the Sixers.

Meanwhile, after signing a max deal with the Timberwolves Andrew Wiggins has shown that this could be his coming out year after he hit a buzzer beat to sink the OKC Thunder in a crunch Division match up on the road.

His poise and certainty in hitting the game-winning shot should be a feature of this campaign if the Timberwolves will thrive in a highly competitive Western Conference.

He is my early season pick for most improved player of the season.

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By: Benjamin Nketsia/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Final whistle: Compromised league, Bastie feeds banku, NBA thrills appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The pair excelled in the just ended Wafu 2017 tournament and have been named among the initial 26 man squad for Ghana’s world cup qualifier against the Cranes of Uganda.

Twum who plays his football for Inter Allies was named the Wafu tournament most valuable player, while Atingah of Hearts of Oak put together a series of impressive displays at the heart of defense.

Damba feels that Appiah has made the additions based on sections of the team that require improvement.

“I must also commend him for recognizing the quality that the Wafu tournament produced.

“Vincent Atingah in my estimation was a revelation at the competition and so was Twum.

“Their inclusion is also based on the challenges the team faces as far as the composition of our line players are concerned.

“Based on that these two gentlemen have been added and its a step in the right direction,” he told Citi Sports.

Ghana play the Cranes of Uganda on October 7, in Kampala with a chance to take second place in Group E.

By:Benjamin Nketsia/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Damba commends Appiah for inclusion of WAFU duo appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Below is the directive of the Disciplinary Committee:

Reference is hereby made to the Decision of the Player Status Committee dated 27th January, 2017 and the related Enforcement Decision by the Disciplinary Committee dated on 7th July, 2017, which directed your club, Asante Kotoko SC to pay Intervest FC, Proton Sports Services and Global Stars SC their respective shares of the transfer fees in relation to Dauda Mohammed’s transfer on or before Friday, July 21, 2017.

Paragraph 12 of the Enforcement Decision of the Disciplinary Committee states as follows:

“PURSUANT to Article 63(1)(c) of the GFA Disciplinary Code, should Asante Kotoko SC or Global Stars SC fail to comply with the final deadlines given under clauses (a) to (d) above, the following sanctions shall apply:

1. Asante Kotoko SC or Global Stars SC shall suffer a three (3) points deductions from the club’s accumulated points for each match played after the deadline.

1. in addition, Asante Kotoko SC or Global Stars SC shall suffer an indefinite transfer ban, should Asante Kotoko SC or Global Stars SC fail to pay the amounts in full, three (3) months after the deadlines.

1. in addition, Asante Kotoko SC or Global Stars SC shall suffer demotion if Asante Kotoko SC or Global Stars SC fail to pay the amounts in full one(1) year after the deadline (July 21, 2018 and July 26, 2018 respectively)”

Intervest Football Club has informed the Ghana Football Association that the club has not received any payment from Asante Kotoko SC as at the time of writing their letter to the GFA on Wednesday, 26th July, 2017.

Having been given the final deadline of on or before Friday, July 21, 2017 to pay Intervest FC, Proton Sports Services and Global Stars SC, the Disciplinary Committee urgently draws attention of Asante Kotoko SC to the provisions of Article 63(2) of the GFA Disciplinary Code (as amended) concerning this matter:

Article 63 (2) of the GFA Disciplinary Code (as amended) which states:

“If a club disregards the final time limit, the GFA shall implement the sanction threatened”.

THE DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE HEREBY IMPLEMENTS THE ENFORCEMENT DECISION AS FOLLOWS:

1. THAT PURSUANT to Article 63(1)(a) of the GFA Disciplinary Code, Asante Kotoko SC is herby fined an amount of One Thousand Ghana Cedis(GH¢1,000.00), payable to the GFA upon receipt of this letter for failing to comply with the Players’ Status Committee Decision and the related Enforcement Decision of Disciplinary Committee within the stipulated time.

1. THAT PURSUANT to Article 63(2) of the GFA Disciplinary Code, your Club, Asante Kotoko SC having failed to comply with the final deadline on or before Friday, July 21, 2017, the following sanctions shall apply:
   1.     suffer a three (3) points deduction from your accumulated points for each match played after Friday, July 21, 2017.
   2. suffer an indefinite transfer ban, should Asante Kotoko SC or Global Stars SC fail to pay the amounts in full, three (3) months after the deadlines.
   3. suffer demotion if your Club fail to pay the amount in full one(1) year after the deadline. (Monday, April 9, 2018).

Please accept for STRICT COMPLIANCE, failing which the sanctions threatened above shall be applied AUTOMATICALLY by the Disciplinary Committee, the Premier League Board and the FA Cup Committee in accordance with Article 63(2) of the GFA Disciplinary Code until Asante Kotoko SC obeys the said Decision.

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Source: Ghana FA

The post Kotoko to suffer point deduction for failure to obey DC decision appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Ghana’s tie with Gambia is one of 8 first round eliminators in the tournament with the winners progressing to the group stages.

The matches have been split into the two zones operational in the WAFU area.

The matches are:

Zone A in Takoradi: Ghana vs The Gambia, Nigeria vs Sierra Leone, Mali vs Mauritania and Guinea vs Guinea-Bissau

Zone B in Cape Coast: Senegal vs Liberia, Burkina Faso vs Niger, Cote d’Ivoire vs Togo and Benin vs Cape Verde

With 8 teams (which won their first round matches) forming two groups after the first knockout round, the top two teams in each group will advance and the tournament will proceed until the finals.

The tournament will run from September 9 and 24.

The winner of the tournament will take USD 100, 000 in prize money.

The tournament is organised by the West Africa Football Union and it is sponsored by US sports television company, Fox Sports.

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By: Nathan Quao/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post 2017 WAFU Nations Cup: Ghana to kick off against The Gambia appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

In Accra, Hearts of Oak climbed to 3rd with a 3-1 win over Tema Youth.

The Phobians showed their hand very early in the game and their play was rewarded with a penalty in the 29th minute which was converted by captain Thomas Abbey.

Kwame Kizito added a second and Abbey complete his brace with a curling effort late in the game.

Tema Youth’s Joseph Paintsil got the consolation for his team in the 87th minute via a penalty.

Ernest Papa Arko’s experience in scoring goals proved to be the difference for Liberty Professionals as they beat AshGold 1-0 in Dansoman.

Elmina Sharks‘ determination to stay in the league was evident as they beat Bechem United 2-1 at the Ndoum Stadium. Felix Addo got the goals for Sharks while Sadick Hadji Abubakar scored for Bechem United.

Ebusua Dwarfs could not go past Wa All Stars in Cape Coast in what was the round’s most exciting match. Joseph Bentil and Isaac Kwain put Dwarfs in the lead but Kweku B. Asuandzi and Paul Asare scored for Wa All Stars to earn a point on the road.

Berekum Chelsea‘s search for an away win since 2015 came to an end after they thumped Bolga All Stars 4-0. Evans Obeng scored twice while Stephen Sarfo  and Abedi Karim completed the rout on the Premier League debutants.

Great Olympics experienced joy on the road after a Benjamin Arthur goal gave them a 1-0 win at the El-Wak Stadium against Inter Allies.

Aduana Stars sit at the top of the league table on 44 points but they have two more matches than WAFA who are on 43 points.

Hearts move up to the 3rd on 39 points with Medeama in 4th place. Kotoko are 5th with two matches in hand.

AshantiGold’d recent wobbles have dragged them back into the relegation zone. They are 14th on 28 points.

Olympics and Bolga All Stars are 15th and 16th respectively.

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By: Citi Sports Desk

The post GHPL Week 24: Hearts, Sharks win as Chelsea pound Bolga All Stars appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Evans reported Inkoom to FIFA after Inkoom had moved from Basel in Switzerland to Dnipro in Ukraine in 2011

The decision of the ban was communicated to the Bulgarian Football Association on Thursday because Inkoom currently plays his football in Bulgaria with Vereya.

Background

In 2010, Inkoom and Evans signed a deal to have Evans represent the player in transfer dealings. The details of the contract stated that Inkoom had to Evans “a fee equal to 10 percent of the player’s basic gross income defined as annual salary plus any guaranteed signing-on fees but excluding any benefits which are not guaranteed.”

Evans reported Inkoom to the FIFA Players’ Status Committee that the player had breached their contract when he was transferred from Basel to Dnipro in 2011 (which was in the second year of their contract).

Between then and 2015, Evans wrote several times to FIFA stating that Inkoom was yet to pay him his money and he was seeking legal redress.

In October, FIFA wrote to the Ghana Football Association and informed it of Inkoom’s failure to pay Evans. The GFA was asked to forward the letter to Inkoom.

However, that did not also work because in November, Evans told FIFA that Inkoom was yet to pay and the GFA was informed on November 17 to “urge Inkoom to pay the money by December 1.”

In December 2014, FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee decided that Inkoom should be given a grace period of 180 days to pay Evans or Evans could activate the option of a one-year ban on Inkoom.

What are Inkoom’s options?

None, really. Unless he pays the amount, he will be banned. FIFA says that if he pays within the ban period, the ban is automatically lifted.

In addition to the Euros 352, 500, Inkoom has to pay a fine of 20,000 Swiss Francs because he failed to respect Article 64 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code which warns against failing to pay another party after a FIFA or CAS ruling.

He must also bear the costs of the legal proceedings which is an amount of 2, 000 Swiss francs.

Is Inkoom a trouble maker?

One cannot say but in 2015, the player was sued by Curtis Paul Willette, the owner of a house Inkoom lived in when he played for DC United in the United States.

Inkoom was being asked by Willette to pay an amount of $65,000 in unpaid rent and damage to the property which was in Arlington, Virginia.

Inkoom’s monthly rent stood $3,795 and he was sued in April 2015. The rent was set to accrue until October of the same year.

Willette told reporters that the house had become “uninhabitable and unshowable”.

Inkoom did not stay with DC United for long as he was traded to Houston Dynamo.

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By: Nathan Quao/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Samuel Inkoom suspended by FIFA for failing to pay agent appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Phobians were very eager to right the wrongs of the loss to WAFA and they started well. They were rewarded in the 24th minute through Kwame Kizito. After 43 minutes, Vincent Atinga scored a penalty to double the lead.

Kizito and Atinga struck against in the second half in the 47th and 51st minutes respectively.

Inter Allies were 2-0 winners over Elmina Sharks at the El-Wak Stadium thanks to goals from Hasmin Musah and Abdul Nassiru.

AshGold’s recent good form continued with a 1-0 at the T and A Park against Medeama. Richard Ocran scored a penalty in the 42nd minute.

Wa All Stars beat Berekum Chelsea 3-0 at the Wa Park. David Abagna scored twice with the third coming from Seth Amoateng.

Cape Coast Dwarfs were 1-0 winners over Bechem United while Liberty Professionals and WAFA drew goalless.

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By: Citi Sports Desk

The post GHPL Week 18: Hearts thump Bolga, AshGold pip Medeama on the road appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.