Black Star players took $100,000 loans prior to 2014 World Cup

Some members of the Black Stars squad at the 2014 World Cup took loans prior to the Brazil 2014 world cup, former Youth and Sports Minister has disclosed.

He said one of the players had gone to Unibank to take a loan of $100,000, same as the appearance fees though Cabinet had approved only $82,500.

Though he was silent on the particular player, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah claimed that the situation might have been one of the reasons that resulted in the much talked about players revolt in camp.

The players’ demands to have their appearance fees in cash resulted in government sending $3 million by plane from Accra to Brasilia before the Stars’ 1-2 loss to Portugal.

The player revolt led to the expulsion of Sulley Ali Muntari and Kevin-Prince Boateng from the team’s camp.

Speaking on TV3’s Hot Issues over the weekend, Mr Afriyie Ankrah observed that events prior, during and after the Black Stars’ third appearance at the global showpiece might have been orchestrated.

He said even not an assurance by Vice President Paa Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur could calm down demands by the players.

But he told host Kwesi Pratt Jnr that he recently learned that some of the players had gone for loans though Cabinet had approved figures less than what they had demanded.

“So the insistence on $100,000 at all cost was because some of the players had already committed themselves that they were going to take $100,000 and they had gone to a bank to take the money in advance.”

The former Deputy Local Government Minister described the happenings as “bizarre” and has promised to author a book on all that happened.