National Amputee Football Team Begin Camping Appeal For Support

By Solomon Davids

As the clock ticks for the commencement of the 30th World Amputee Football Cup in Crespo-Entre Rios, Argentina, the Ghana National Amputee Football team, the Black Challenge, have stepped up preparations, with twenty (20) players grouping at the Salvation Army Headquarters, Osu for a 16-day residential camping programme..

Out of the twenty (20) players, fifteen (15) would be selected to make the trip to Argentina, where Ghana would join seventeen other countries to compete for the coveted cup.

Morale in camp is very high and the management, technical team and the playing body are very optimistic they would bring the cup to Ghana, the first by any African nation in the history of the competition. The Black Challenge, the first African Champions and current 4th best team in the world, are expected to leave the country by the 11th October, 2010 to Argentina where the tournament kicks-off on 14th to 27th October, 2010. According to the Technical Head of the team, Coach Benjamin Charles Armah, the necessary preparations are being made to ensure that Ghana’s name is registered on the list of achievers in the history of world amputee soccer. He was very hopeful the team would go very far in the competition.

Coach Armah, who is working around the clock with Coach Ali Jarra of the Black Starlets and Black Stars fame, however, indicated that they need the prayers and support of all Ghanaians at this crucial time. He said the team are currently training at the Prisons Park at Cantonments, a park that is not good for their physical well-being and readiness for the competition to be played on Astro turf.

He appealed to the authorities to allow them train at the El Wak or Hockey pitch.

He lauded the authorities for the provision of logistics to the team but appealed for more, saying the team need energy drinks and water to strengthen them to perform better. He called on all Ghanaians, especially key sports managers, to visit them at the camp to motivate them.

Coach Benjamin Armah extended an invitation to personalities like Alhaji Sly Tetteh, Mr Kyeremeh of Berebum Chelsea, T.T. Brothers and Mr Woyome, among others, to make time to come and psyche the players up. “We would be very grateful if individuals, corporate bodies and philanthropists could come to our aid to make this trip to Argentina a reality,” Coach Armah pleaded. On his part, Mr. Francis Adjetey Sowah, Vice President of Association of Sports for the Disabled (ASFOD) said the team need some $80,000 to enable the contingent participate in the tournament. He stated that some support had come in but was quick to add that it is not adequate, especially with limited time at their disposal.

The players currently camping at Salvation Army Hostel are: Goalkeepers: John Mensah Badu, Issah Wahab, Emmanuel Amponsah and Daniel Moffat. Players; Joseph Amoh, Collins Gyamfi, Richard Arthur Opentil, Richard Ekwam, Attah Yeboah, Francis Antwi-Darkwah, Cephas Ayibader Abban, Augustine Hinne, Samuel Kwakye Offei, Kofi Asare, Abraham Nii Armarh, Richard Offei, Allen Mumuni, Peter Awuni, Ernest Ayisi and Solomon Kokouvi Apelete.