RE: Herbert, Real Deal Collapses

PRESS RELEASE

Our attention has been drawn to an article in the Graphic Sports of November 13, 2007 titled Herbert, Real deal collapses.

Erroneous impressions have been created about the investment deal Herbert Mensah brokered for Real Sportive in the 2006/2007 Premiership season.

At the beginning of the season in question Mensah brokered a deal between Real Sportive and an European consortium of investors led by Autumn Moon Limited.

The two signed a pact that required Autumn Moon to finance the club to the tune of not less than one billion old Ghana cedis.

This arrangement was subject to review at the end of the season and after a Board Meeting on July 22, 2007 it was agreed that the arrangement should be abrogated.

Part of that abrogation agreement was the release by Sportive of players who had been procured by Autumn Moon to Fauzan FC. There was a proviso that should any of the players wish to play for Real Sportive then Fauzan will loan them back to Sportive. There was no agreement whatsoever that proceeds from the sale of such players will be split between the parties especially when the players belonged strictly Autumn Moon.

Subsequently on August 1, 2007 the CEO of Real Sportive, Isaac Banson signed a release letter for the under-mentioned players.

James Nanor

Frank Adomako

Jewel Arthur

Yayaha Seidu

Mohammed Gafaru

Umar Gariba

Issa Mohammed

Eric Owusu

Following the release Ashantigold showed interest in James Nanor and Umar Gariba and Fauzan agreed to release the two players after negotiations. Sadly the registration of the players was stalled when Sportive refused to sign the Ghana Football Association Form T2 which would have concluded the release of the two players to Fauzan and then subsequently to Ashantigold.

Autumn Moon obviously unhappy about the sequence of events wrote to the Ghana Football Association to complain about the conduct of Sportive. James Nanor and Umar Gariba also subsequently wrote to the FA to declare their status as players of Fauzan FC as their careers were in jeopardy.

Surprisingly hours after Autumn Moon and the players’ letters had reached the FA Fauzan received a letter dated October 31, 2007 releasing players:

Jewel Arthur

Yayaha Seidu

Mohammed Gafaru

Umar Gariba

Issa Mohammed

Eric Owusu

The letter signed by Isaac O. Banson also attached the requisite Form T2s.

Why the second letter was relevant after the August 1, 2007 letter is difficult to comprehend. Clearly Real Sportive has every intention of jeopardising the careers of Nanor and Gariba after they had served the club loyally for one year.

What is sadder is the fact that Sportive is showing total ingratitude for the financial intervention of last season, which runs into billions of cedis as per the abrogation agreement they are supposed to refund.

The agreement with the two parties was abrogated because when Sportive had to sign a share transfer agreement to seal the investment arranged the club reneged even though it had received large sums of money to run the club.

We will not countenance such ingratitude backed by inaccurate media allegations. We have served notice to the Ghana Football Association about Sportive’s conduct and we are strongly weighing other options.

We however call on the Ghana Football Association to as a matter urgency investigate the matter and ensure that the careers of James Nanor and Umar Gariba not jeopardised because of the deviousness of the club they served so well.

Signed:…………………………………..

Lawrence Otoo (13/11/07)

(Local Attorney)