This Nonsense About "Government Interference" In Football Must Stop!

The Nonsense About “Government Interference” Must Stop!!!

It was refreshingly awful reading the statement purportedly issued by FIFA to

the government of Ghana to stop interfering with football related matters. Part

of the statement reads “The Ghanaian authorities have been giving until Sunday

to stop interfering in the country’s Football Association (GFA) and warned by

FIFA that their action will have “adverse consequences”.

The statement came on the back of a raid carried out by the country’s

anti-graft agency on the offices of the Ghana Football Association after an

invitation by the Economic and Organized Crime Unit (EOCU) was turned down by

the FA. What is FIFA talking about? Is Ghana not a sovereign state? Is FIFA

saying that institutions mandated by the constitution of Ghana to investigate

crimes in this country should not do their work any longer, in the name of

“government interference”? What the heck is this monster call FIFA?

Is it true that the Ghana Football Association goes to the government for money

to manage the National teams? Is it also true that the government pays for the

bonuses of the National team players and the Coaches as well? If indeed

government sponsors the activities of the FA, why should government not demand

for accountability? Is FIFA really serious?

The fact of the matter is that there is no government inference in the

activities of the Football Association and indeed, government has every right to

investigate organizations that operate within the territories of Ghana. The

Economic and Organized Crime Unit (EOCU) has the constitutional mandate to

investigate the Football Association irrespective of FIFA regulations. Indeed

the Economic and Organized Crime Unit made the same request to the National

Sport Council, the Ministry of Youth and Sport and the Ghana Olympic committee.

These bodies complied and fully assisted the authorities with whatever

information at their disposal. Why did the Football Association refused to

co-operate with the authorities? Did the FA know something that the rest of us

don’t know? Why all these childish prangs?

How many times are we going to allow ourselves to be victimized by the unbridled

folly and arrogance of these corrupt football administrators?

I am surprised the likes of Kwesi Nyantakyi and Randy Abbey who would want to

come across as intelligent people are behind these shenanigans. They must be

joking if they think they can hide behind FIFA immunity to perpetuate fraud on

Ghanaians. Sometimes, I wonder what goes through the minds of these intelligent

sounding educated fools. The Economic and Organized Crime Unit must do its work

and damn the consequences. Ghana is not ruled by FIFA by-laws. We are ruled by a

Constitution which is the mother of all laws in this country.

Am I surprised at FIFA’s reactions? Absolutely not! FIFA has a monopoly on

corruption in football matters and will not allow any call for accountability.

Not too long ago, I watched a BBC documentary in which the investigative

reporter Andrew Jennings unravels high level corruption within FIFA. Panorama

The Beautiful Bung – Corruption and the World Cup actually blown the cover off

the FIFA corruption scandals and revealed all the dirty deeds FIFA is committing

in the name of football. It is an open secret that Sepp Blatter was himself

investigated by the Swiss Police over his role in a 1million pounds worth of

bribes pocketed by football officials. With the likes of Sepp Blater and his

ilks at the Ghana Football Association in charge of football, the beautiful game

will continue to suffer from the ugly and scandalous behavior of greedy

politicians turned football administrators. FIFA should go ahead and do their

worst for all we care.

Let our laws work. There must be punitive sanctions against those found guilty

of misappropriating state funds. I believe that the application of denunciatory

justice is necessary in preserving the nation’s social contract. To leave a

beast to feed on a prey, when the law forbids such as act is a travesty of

natural justice. To deny that something does not exist, while it does, does not

eradicate the problem. Am I alone in my wild world? Let’s hear from you.

Emmanuel Dela Coffie

www.delacoffie.wordpress.com