"The Ghana FA will not receive any money over its participation in the 2010 World Cup after government controversially took the $11m earned from the Black Stars feat in South Africa."
That is not true. No team in the 2010 world cup competition received $11 million as prize money.
There have been a few discussions, accusations and counter-accusations about the expenditures of the Ghana Black Stars concerning their participation in the 2014 FIFA World Cup. As one takes a look at the financial statements from FIFA, one wonders why the GFA and Sports Ministry have been feeding the world with inaccurate and conflicting statements and arguments. From the financial information provided by FIFA, it becomes disturbing and unsettling why and how the government and parliament can comfortably turn a blind eye to the blatant accounting shenanigans of the GFA and Sports Ministry concerning 2006, 2010 and 2014 world cup tournaments.
The bottom-line is that Ghana should not incur any financial obligations, with regards to the WC tournaments. The best the government should do for the WC preparations is to extend loans, not to exceed $2 million, to the GFA. Any other financial action by the government exceeding $2 million loan toward the WC will be, at best, incompetent and, at worst, bordering on criminality. Under no circumstance can the government justify giving the Black Stars money for the WC tournament expenses; the fact is that there will be none the government can give to justify that a contingent of fifty is not more than adequate. FIFA assumes the expenses of a fifty-member contingent from all participating teams. If the facts as outlined by FIFA are seriously considered, then the GFA and Sports Ministry personnel involved in 2006, 2010 and 2014 expenditures should face criminal prosecution.
According to the current Sports Ministry and GFA, the government gave $19 million, to the 2010 WC, and the Sports authorities(GFA) returned 10 of the $19 million leaving $9 million spent and with the price money of $11 million, Ghana made a profit of $2 million dollars, that is what Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, the Sports Minister's brother and spokesman for that Ministry told Ghanaians about seven days ago.
Also, the Sports Ministry claims that the Black Stars received $11 million from the 2010 WC for reaching the last eight. Based on the Sports Ministry's assertions, the government of Ghana should have received $24 million back from the Sports Ministry after the 2010 WC tournament. The saddest story from all this is that the Black Stars received $14 million, and not $11 million as claimed by the Sports Ministry, from the 2010 WC for finishing in the last eight. Let's look at what this means. The more important question is why the GFA and Sports Ministry should spend $10 million for no justifiable reason; this is what every serious Ghanaian should be questioning.
This critical assessment of WC expenditures should not be confined to the 2010 WC. One should also take a critical look at the 2006 WC expenditures; it carries the same smell as that of 2010. The current government should also be pressed to rescind the decision to give about $10 million free toward the 2014 WC tournament. The government is very much aware that the fifty member contingent will have their expenses paid by FIFA and that all bonuses can and should be realized from the "Prize Money" form FIFA. But before any sense can be made of any opinion and/or assertions, one has to look at the facts governing the 2006 and 2010 World Cup tournaments.
Surprisingly, FIFA pays all expenses for the participating teams during the tournament. This means that non of the participating teams pays for lodging and travel.
2010 Preparation cost payment to participating member associations::
This means FIFA contributes about $1 million to the GFA toward the Black Stars' world cup preparation.
2010 Prize money (in millions):
Winner 30
Runners-up 24
Third place 20
Fourth place 18
5th-8th place (each) 14 --- This is the prize money given to the Ghana Black Stars for 2010 WC.
9th-16th place (each) 9
17th-32nd place (each) 8 --- For all intents and purposes, this is the appearance fee.
2010 Appearance Fee:
The appearance fee is the prize money given to each team for "just" participating in the WC tournament.
2006 Prize money (in millions):
Winner 24.5
Runners-up 22.5
Third place 21.5
Fourth place 21.5
5th-8th place (each) 11.5
9th-16th place (each) 8.5 --- This is the prize money given to the Ghana Black Stars for 2006 WC.
17th-32nd place (each) 6.0 --- For all intents and purposes, this is the appearance fee.
2006 Appearance Fee:
The appearance fee is the prize money given to each team for "just" participating in the WC tournament.
The payment of an appearance fee according to the government spokesperson Maham Ayariga was however not factored into the $9.8m approved budget for Ghana’s participation at the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil.
“We do not deal with appearance fees. That is an issue with FIFA,” Mahama Ayariga told Metro FM.
“It is FIFA that pays appearance fees not government.”
If it is the FIFA that pays appearance fees and not the government, then why is the GFA worried about the Players demand? The Players should get whatever FIFA give them and not what the government feels it should give to the players.
Justice Sarpong
(CARDINAL of TRUTH)
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