Yaw Ampofo Ankrah writes to FIFA

The president of the Ghana Beach Soccer Association, Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, has written to the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) appealing for urgent assistance for Beach Soccer in Ghana.

The unprecedented direct communiqué comes in the wake of two devastating tidal waves that battered the venue which hosts the Ghana Beach Soccer league in La- Accra.

Ampofo Ankrah has also confirmed he is in personal touch with Mr. Walter Gagg, a special advisor to FIFA president Josep Blatter who acknowledged receipt of the email sent by the association.

Though an official response has not been sent by FIFA, Ampofo Ankrah is confident that the GBSA will receive the needed assistance from the world football governing body.

Despite showing tremendous potential, Beach Soccer Ghana continues to suffer from lack of financial and infrastructural support.

Since 2011, the beach soccer league has managed to survive on the sponsorship package of GHS 44,000 from CAL Bank. However, the current FIFA ranking of 19th position in the world could prove to be the signal for major investment in Ghana’s fastest growing sport.

The start of the 2015 beach soccer league season has been put on hold until the end of the rainy season.

Meanwhile, the Black Sharks by virtue of their ranking may earn an invitation to the Morocco 2015 Beach Soccer World Tour (El Jadida) slated for August 14 to 16.

There are currently 41 coastal communities that have been earmarked for beach soccer introduction and development. Out of these, only 9 have been implemented due to the lack of resources, logistics and infrastructure in Ghana.

It remains a mystery why a sport which such huge potential and relatively low operational budget has not received full support from various bodies such as the Ghana Football Association, National Sports Authority, the Ghana Olympic Committee and the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

In a philosophical response, Ampofo Ankrah stated that it is only a matter of time; "in our part of the world, we often find that people are reluctant to give 100% unless there is some sort of benefit for them and their associates. This is the pain Beach Soccer Ghana has to endure but very soon we will emerge out of these challenges to stand on our feet".