Ghana to miss Beach Soccer AFCON as GFA ignores CAF deadline

In an exclusive sighting of emails and documents between Beach Soccer Ghana, the Ghana Football Association and the Competitions Division of CAF, it has come to light that the Gen Secretary of the GFA Isaac Addo sat on emails from CAF and failed to respond to several calls seeking Ghana's participation at the 2018 Beach Soccer Afcon in (Egypt 2018)

Having failed to receive any response from Ghana and in a last ditch bid to seek further clarification, CAF prompted beach soccer Ghana directly (which is not the norm) but it was too late to beat the deadline of June 6th which was an extension of the original May 31st CAF deadline.

Even a last minute SOS by the head of Beach Soccer Ghana to the Sports Minister to intervene on their behalf, could not save the situation.

Interestingly, it has also been confirmed that Beach Soccer Ghana was not asking for financial support from the GFA since CAL Bank had agreed to sponsor the Black Sharks in qualification series and tournament.

The official green light by email and a 15 page questionnaire can only be filled by member associations through a special software known as the CMS.

In other words, to confirm participation, communication must come directly from affiliate associations (GFA) to CAF copied to Beach Soccer Ghana.

It has also been confirmed that since 2015, Beach Soccer Ghana has written to the GFA on four separate occasions to adopt the national team Black Sharks under it's wings but to no avail.

The reason given has been "At the right time Congress will discuss and decide".

It is possible that distractions from the looming Anas Amerayaw Anas GFA Exposé and lack of interest in beach soccer by GFA relegated the sand sport to the background.

However in a defiant response, the President of Beach Soccer Ghana Yaw Ampofo Ankrah has assured clubs and players that he will work even harder to ensure that the proposed maiden 2018 Ghana Beach Soccer Super League will kick off immediately after the FIFA World Cup Finals in Russia. " We have sacrificed so much to build this sport and this setback will only spur us on to get to our destination"

The Black Sharks team was formed in 2013 and is currently ranked 8th by CAF in Africa and 69th by FIFA.

The association has never received sponsorship from the GFA for the league which first kicked off in 2011.

However the Black Sharks have qualified to previous Beach Soccer Afcons in Seychelles and Nigeria.