Russia 2018 : Black Stars wanted us to pay bribe – Vanderpuye

Former Sports Minister, Nii Lante Vanderpuye, has revealed that some Black Stars players called on him to offer bribe to secure the senior national team’s qualification to the 2018 Russia World Cup.

Egypt qualified to the World Cup at the expense of Ghana who did the entire qualification campaign without a home win.

Speaking to Citi FM Thursday on the back of the premiere of an explosive investigative piece by Anas Aremeyaw Anas and Tiger Eye PI Mr. Vanderpuye said: “The culture has been created with indemnity and unclassified payments by the GFA so it doesn’t look wrong for them.”

“Some national team players,” he continued, “came to me to end my crusade against the GFA and asked me to pay the unclassified payments in order for them to qualify for the World Cup.”

In the investigative piece shown at the Conference Centre Wednesday, several high profile officials of the Ghana FA including the President of the Association, Kwasi Nyantakyi, were seen taking bribes from Anas’ men to compromise their decisions on the game and other interests.

Majority of Ghanaians who have watched the video have taken to social media to call for the immediate resignation of Mr. Nyantakyi.

For the former Sports Minister, the GFA must be dissolved in its entirety.

“There must be a total cleansing of the Ghana Football Association, I won’t accept only Nyantakyi’s removal. We need to dissolve the GFA and damn the consequences [from FIFA] Nigeria did it and are reaping the rewards. This is the time for us to rebuild ahead of the World Cup in Qatar,” he stated.



Meanwhile, the Football Association has said even though it is yet to watch the video, it will not shield any official captured in the investigative piece.

“The GFA wishes to place on record that, there will be no attempt of a cover-up or shield any of our members caught in alleged acts of corruption. The GFA wishes to assure all that as an institution it does not condone any manner of corrupt practices.

“Though the GFA did not commission Tiger Eye PI to undertake this exercise and have not been provided with the opportunity of watching the documentary, we view the allegations circulating in the media very seriously and would wish to take immediate steps to address them,” the FA said in a statement.