It is so amazing the direction Ghana football is taking, looking at the way each passing year the season begins and ends. The last football season went well with Division One League and the Middle League went on successfully, but without cricket score line- F.C Nania 31 – Okwahu United 0. “JESUS CHRIST”
I was amazed to hear that Abedi Pele has filed the case at the courts to seek justice against the ruling by the G.F.A Disciplinary Committee to suspend the players and the teams involved in the said ‘GOAL HARVEST SCANDAL’. This is something, Abedi should not have dared to even talk about; even though, he is entitled to justice. It was sad Abedi, who was sometime ago the Vice Chairman on the F.A, could resort to such an unfortunate and disgraceful act. In the stories that unfolded at the end of the Middle League, I found it very absurd to hear him come out to defend his team’s ability to win the said game.
Individuals in the sporting fraternity have expressed their opinions about the incident and think the F.A was to remain on its stance regarding the punishment that was handed to the teams. That is good. However, when we look at the reason why, many believe, Abedi went to the law courts was that there was no circumstantial evidence to prove that the said matches were fixed. That was up to him. What he, might have forgotten as a former International player, and most importantly, the former skipper of the Senior National Team, even during his days, there was no way the Senior National team could beat a ‘U 17’ select side at ‘Oforikrom’ or ‘Maamobi’ 10 goals to nothing in game? Come on! Let us all be rational. What a shame!
I have been following refereeing in Ghana and so any time there is an issue concerning the ‘Laws of the Game’ and or the ‘Knights of the Whistle’, I feel like I have to come out to say something, due primarily to how I cherish that hobby. Every seasoned referee in the world has what we call ‘TECHNICAL EYE”. For this reason if such a referee is watching a game and the men at the helm of affairs are playing any ‘tricks’ he or she will be able to see and either inwardly or outwardly make some comments – forgetting about those people’s (the observers) own biases and prejudices about the teams their hearts may go for (Don’t forget that we live in a Social world). The point I want to raise here is that every referee can determine on the field of play and in the course of play whether a game is being played competitively or not. More so, in the case of the matches under discussion, the goal harvest came in the second half and most importantly, when results from both centres were filtering in. The fact that some of the teams reported late and or did some infractions to delay the game at one centre was an ample evidence to tell the match officials that the teams were up to something and therefore they could have been put on their toes. I learnt the matches were played in Cape Coast and Sekondi. The two centres are so close that without even relying on ‘modern’ means of communication, communication would never have been a problem.
I read form an article from Ghana home page that the court did not throw out the case because there were some loopholes in the evidence upon which the GFA Disciplinary Committee ruled against the affected clubs, officials and players. WHAT ABOUT THE MATCH REPORTS. In the event, where there is no electronic evidence to proof a case before a Disciplinary Committee, the match officials’ reports count a lot. And for the situation in point, I want to ask a very simple question. What did the reports of the REFEREES, MATCH COMMISSIONERS and the MATCH SUPERVISORS capture? All these match officials were paid by the GFA to do their work to ensure FAIR PLAY, and so if they failed in one way or the other, then WE NEED TO LOOK INTO what they went to do at the various centres to do.
The GFA Referees’ Committee must help in this case. I would want Laryea, Agbovi, Glah and the rest of them to know that they have failed in their duties as stakeholders in the smooth organization of football in the country. What recommendations did you make or have you people made to the GFA? Do you think you appointed officials who were competent enough to handle the matches? If yes, did you foresee any danger, especially, looking at the fact that some of the teams needed ‘Goal’ difference to advance into the elite league? I know that you only exist on paper, but with no EXPERT ideas to guide the F.A to achieve the best in its endeavours. The problem I have with the three of you is that you have been seeking the interest of your children becoming “FIFA” to the detriment of ideal contributions to the smooth running of football in the country. The three of you must think about what you have been able to contribute towards the smooth running of football other than your own selfish interests. “MO ENIM EGU ASE”.
My advice to Abedi is that he must look at the whole scenario from moral point of view and re-organize his team for the next soccer season. He has very good materials to win their matches and make it to the elite league next year. It is unfortunate that all the financial, material and technical resources he put in place to get his team somewhere, has gone down the drain. He has achieved a lot in his carrier in the game to an extent that he should not let this unfortunate “FIXED MATCH” scandal rob his of his reputation.
Now to the G.F.A, I wish to recommend that if all the match officials who were entrusted to handle the game directly or indirectly could not provide any concrete report about the said “FIXED MATCHES”, then they MUST BE EXPELLED FROM THEIR VARIOUS CAPACITIES, in the true spirit of the game. Such people need not come closer to the anything in connection with the organization of football.
At this time when we are gaining the lost glory in the football world, we must not sit down for certain individuals to set our clock backwards. Our national teams are bringing back our smiles, therefore the onus lies in the administrators to also do what is expected of them. I believe, if we all do what we entrusted to do; we will be able to go beyond where we are now. LONG LIVE GHANA FOOTBALL, LONG LIVE GHANA.
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