GFA to contest commission’s report

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has finally decided to challenge the findings of the Justice Dzamefe Commission’s report in court almost two weeks after the release of the government white paper on the Brazil 2014 Presidential Commission of Inquiry’s recommendations.

A statement from the GFA hinted that the local soccer governing body had instructed its lawyers to challenge the findings in court as mandated by the 1992 Constitution.

‘The posturing of the commission in describing the kit manager as a 'ball boy', and several other misleading and inaccurate conclusions, are what have led the GFA to instruct its lawyers to challenge the findings in court as mandated by the constitution of Ghana’.

‘While the GFA is resolute in its belief that it did its best in the difficult circumstances in Brazil, we wish to emphasise that we should not waver from our desire of finding out the real reasons for Ghana's early exit from the tournament and the other off-the-field incidents that brought embarrassment to the country, it stressed.

The FA, however, took an exception to the commission’s description of the Black Stars kit manager or equipment officer as a ‘ball boy’.

‘We wish to state that the commission's description of the kit manager or equipment officer as a 'ball boy' is hideously inappropriate when it is well known that there is no ball boy in the Black Stars technical team set-up.

‘It is apparent that the description of the kit manager as a 'ball boy' is calculated to bring disaffection for the person in charge of the position even though his role is key for the highly-tuned professionals to perform at the top level,’ it bemoaned.

The statement added that ‘While the commission is seeking to mock the person, the position or his role in the team, it must be made clear that the payment of the appearance fees to the kit manager was made after government had vetted and approved it.’

The GFA recalled that the same system was applied for the 2006 World Cup and 2010 World Cup in Germany and South Africa respectively.

‘We wish to state that the kit manager is not paid the same amount as the players or the coaches as there is a different bonus structure with the kit manager getting the least amount. This means the appearance fee is a flat payment for the entire technical team’ it added.