Down to 50 as Dzamefe C’ssion trims Stars’ gravy train

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) risks bearing the cost of additional persons who accompany the Black Stars to future World Cup tournaments outside FIFA’s official 50-man quota.

This formed part of a policy recommendation for the Black Stars and the other national teams as contained in the Justice Senyo Dzamefe-led Presidential Commission of Inquiry’s report into Ghana’s 2014 FIFA World Cup campaign.

The report stated that once FIFA pays for all expenditures for a contingent of 50 people, including 23 players, the State should not incur any extra cost for additional persons who accompany the team.

“FIFA sponsors national team contingent of 50 persons to World Cup tournaments which includes the 23 players.

“FIFA, the controlling body of world football, in its wisdom has been able to determine the number of players and other support personnel that are necessary and sufficient to participate in the tournament,” it stressed.

The report went ahead to break down the 50-man quota as comprising 23 players, two coaches, five management members, five-member technical support team and 15 others as the auxilliary staff.

“The ‘others’ category of 15 people should be enough to cover any extra support staff that need to be added to make up the contingent,” it explained.

The commission also cautioned against the use of Black Stars’ sponsorship funds on extra people to the World Cup.

“Sponsorship funds in any form for the Black Stars should not be used to sponsor extra people to a World Cup.

“The funds can be used for other useful purposes such as participation in other tournaments that do not generate funding like the World Cup.”

The recommendation followed what happened in Brazil 2014 where a number of officials outside the officially-approved 50 quota depended fully on State funds during the tournament.

Similarly, the commission urged the FA to stick to CAF’s official 30-man contingent, consisting of 23 players, two coaches and five management/technical support staff when it comes to the Africa Nations’ Cup (AFCON).

“Where the tournament is hosted in outside Ghana an additional support staff of five should be included and sponsored,” it added.

The report pointed out that ‘the large number of people who accompany national football teams, especially the Black Stars, are an unnecessary drain on the State resources which can be rechannelled to develop other sporting disciplines.”