Queens training disrupted

The unavailability of the Accra Sports Stadium for this weekend’s African Women’s Championship qualifier between Ghana and Burkina Faso was compounded yesterday with the Black Queens nearly denied an afternoon training session.

The Queens arrived at the stadium about 2:30p.m. for their mandatory training session on the pitch for tomorrow’s game only to find out that the venue had been occupied by  schoolchildren competing in a football gala.

Embarrassed by the situation, some officials of the Ministry of Youth and Sports tried to make alternative arrangement for the team’s training.

However, the Estate Manager of the stadium, Mr Eric Nkansah Dwamena, intervened and prevailed upon the organisers to end the programme for the day to enable the national team to train.

It was not only the schoolchildren’s programme that disrupted the Queens’ training. Also on the pitch were artisans busily mounting the metallic stage for International Central Gospel Church’s 30th anniversary programme on Sunday, the date for the Ghana-Burkina Faso match.

While the Queens might have gone through the ordeal without attracting any sanction from the match organisers, the Confederation of African Football (CAF), it was feared Ghana risked CAF sanctions as a result of the condition of the stadium when the Burkinabe team and match officials arrive today for their mandatory training and pitch inspection.

By FIFA and CAF rules, Burkina Faso are expected to train at 3.pm today, the same time the match officials are also to inspect the pitch. However, the ongoing schools’ programme could run late into 5p.m. and that could not only embarrass the country, but also attract a fine from the continental football governing body, should the Match Commissioner report the incident.