Ghana Sports News and more
Withdraw national teams’ money now - Oly CEO
Last week, the local football governing body released a tall list of stakeholders who are to benefit from the $1.8 million FIFA and CAF COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund being expected by the GFA between now and January next year.
Advertisement
However, the list generated a heated debate among the various clubs, with some questioning the criteria which was used to disburse the funds.
In an interview with Graphic Sports, Mr Commodore said 80 per cent of the entire funds were needed to be given from the Premier League clubs to the juvenile level and not the other way round, as the clubs were the most stressed during the COVID-19 era.
He also did not see why the national teams who were taken care of by the State should be part of the list of beneficiaries, though they were not clubs.
“No individual in the country is, for that matter, richer than the government of Ghana; the State should support the national teams,” he stated.
The Olympics CEO, therefore, urged the football authorities to scrap the money which was allocated to the national teams, match commissioners, Venue Media Officers, camera men and the Referees Association of Ghana (RAG) because they were not regarded as football clubs who needed relief.
The GFA is expected to receive $500,000 and $300,00 from FIFA and CAF, respectively, anytime soon, and it is reported that the 18 Premier League clubs would be given $180,000 out of the $500,000 and $90,000 from the $300,000 to be shared among them.
He appealed to the Executive Council and the GFA president, Kurt Okraku, to take a second look at their decision and do a realignment to enable the clubs to earn more than they had been given.
“We are yet to receive our money as it was a projected disbursement by the GFA. No money has been credited to the club’s account at the moment though the GFA statement released last week noted that disbursement had been made to 12 members of the association.