Leicester City's use of Jeffrey Schlupp could spark Ghana anger

The Ghana Football Association could report English Premier League side Leicester City to FIFA over their use of winger Jeffrey Schlupp in their 1-0 home defeat against Stoke City in the English Premier League on Saturday afternoon.

Leicester City told Ghana Football Association the German-born utility player was injured and could not be fit in time for the Black Stars at the 2015 AFCON tournament.

This influenced Ghana’s decision to leave out the 22-year-old from the AFCON squad, but two days before Ghana officially open their campaign in Equatorial Guinea, the Foxes have used the player in their Premier League game.

Schlupp started the game at the King Power Stadium and played until he was replaced in the 71st minute by Thomas Lawrence as Leicester fell to a Bojan Krkic 63rd minute strike.

Ghana coach Avram Grant was looking forward to naming Schlupp in his squad for the tournament, but news from Leicester City claiming the player was injured forced the Israeli gaffer to exclude him.

Leicester also did not allow Schlupp to travel to Spain – where the Black Stars had pitched their pre-AFCON camping in Sevilla, for Ghana’s medical team to assess his situation.

Ghana FA officials would obviously be unhappy with the step taken by Leicester City and would ask FIFA to punish them.

However, Black Stars Management Committee chairman George Afriyie reveals the team is yet to take a decision regarding the issue.

Schlupp, having the better of van Persie and his team-mate, during a pre-World Cup, was set for his first tournament with Ghana

“We are yet to talk about that. It just happened,” he told GHANAsoccernet.com.