“I mean no harm”, says Bofoakwa official
Fan calls for club in memory of footballer
Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 16 October 2001 - Most sports journalists who turned out in their numbers to report on the Kumasi Asante Kotoko-Sekondi Hasaacas premier league encounter at the Kumasi Sports Stadium at the weekend, were refused entry into the stadium.
The reporters were surprisingly turned back by officers from the National Sports Council (NSC), who were then managing the gate.
In explaining their stance, the NSC men said they had been given explicit instructions by the Kotoko management “not to allow in any pressman without accreditation from the club”. Attempts by some journalists to convince some club officials to allow them entry to also perform their duties yielded no results.
As if that was not enough humiliation, some reporters who had earlier managed to enter the press box were forcibly thrown out by some Kotoko executives claiming they had no accreditation for the match.
This is the second successive week that Kotoko executives have refused press houses access to cover a match at the Kumasi Sports Stadium. The first one was during the Kotoko-Okwawu tie, which the visitors won 1-0. – Times Sports.
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Accra (Greater Accra Region) 16 October 2001 - Africa Super Champion Club, Accra Hearts of Oak, have served notice on Bofoakwa Tano’s management member, Takyi Arhin, to substantiate an earlier allegation of bribery within 72 hours, retract and apologise, and probably face further action that the club may embark on.
Hearts’ strong-worded ultimatum was issued at the weekend following startling revelations made by the Bofoakwa executive to the effect that both Hearts of Oak and their arch rivals, Kumasi Asante Kotoko approached him with bribery intentions to play it soft against them.
Simultaneous to the Hearts’ threat, Asante Kotoko’s Accra Representative, Mr Kwame Amoa-Bosompem, is reported to have disclosed that the club’s lawyer has been instructed to initiate the necessary legal action to repair the damage to the club’s image as a result of Mr Tayi’s allegations and the publicity it received by the press.
Mr Amoa-Bosompem was particularly concerned about the prominence given to Mr Takyi’s statements by some national newspapers since to him, most of the electronic media do not get to most of the millions in the football fraternity.
He was critical of Mr Takyi for not making his story credible by identifying whoever approached him on Kotoko’s behalf to influence their match.
In describing the allegations as baseless and frivolous, Hearts cited Bofoakwa’s poor away record of six losses in 10 matches as reason to conclude that the club may be having their own internal problems. They pointed out however that this “is no excuse for baseless allegations”.
Hearts of Oak also took strong exception of the publicity given Mr Takyi’s radio interview and was particularly concerned about the possible impression it may have on the club’s reputation, as well as the consequences of such allegations within the context of the Ghana Football Association’s regulations. – Graphic Sports.
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Sunyani (Brong Ahafo Region) 16 October 2001 - Mr Takyi Arhin, Secretary/ Director of operations of Bofoakwa Tano Football Club, has stated that he did not mean to harm Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak about the statements he made last week on a radio station in Sunyani in which the two clubs were mentioned.
According to him, the story carried by the “Daily Graphic” in its October 11, 2001 edition, misinterpreted what he said on the radio station, and has therefore urged the two teams to remain calm, claiming that neither he nor Bofoakwa have anything bad against them.
Mr Takyi said he would officially write to the Ghana Football Association (GFA) about all that he knew in order to put the matter to rest. In a statement issued, he said the whole interview he had with the radio station centred on internal allegations of match fixing on the part of Bofoakwa against Arsenals at Berekum.
He said Kotoko and Hearts were mentioned just “in passing” to buttress a point that was not harmful. The two teams came into the programme when the host, Micky Charles asked him whether the allegation in an Accra daily that Bofoakwa played a match of convenience with Arsenals was true.
According to him, it was in answer to the question that he said if Bofoakwa wanted to sell any match they would have gone to Kotoko and Hearts who have money and also needed points badly in their search to grab the league trophy.
Mr Arhin pointed out that the relationship between his team and the two clubs have been a cordial one and would therefore not do anything to mar it.
He blamed some negative elements in Bofoakwa for what happened because to him, had it not been the allegation of match- fixing made against some management members, the interview with the radio station would not have arisen.
He said because some management members wanted to get rid of the hardworking executive chairman, Mr Ebo Mends they have been using all means including allegations of match-fixing against the club. He said Mr Ebo Mends has a lot of good plans for the club and should be supported by all to achieve the noble goals. – Graphic Sports.
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Kofi Jantuah- dropped from WBC ratings
Accra (Greater Accra Region) 16 October 2001 - It took just one blow and three months later for Ghanaian Welterweight boxer, Kofi Jantuah, to feel the bitter side of the politics involved in world boxing.
The blow administered last July by Manuel Gomez, also handed Kofi his first loss in 23 fights but the latest ratings of the World Boxing Council has demonstrated that what the Ghanaian welterweight lost that night was much more than a fight.
From the fourth position on the WBC ratings, Jantuah’s name has been completely expunged from the list of 30 boxes ranked by the sanctioning body.
The July fight was expected to provide a warn-up for the Ghanaian for a title show against WBC welterweight champion Shane Mosley of the USA.
However, as a result of that huge upset, the previously low-rated Mexican, Manuel Gomez, has shot up to the number nine position.
In the said bout, it is recalled that with only 75 seconds to go in their explosive 10-round battle at the Mandalay Bay Casino in Las Vegas, the Ghanaian welterweight was in total dominance over his Mexican opponent.
By scores of 88-83, 88-83 and 87-84, Kofi led in all the cards of the three judges when the temptation to go into a “slugfest”, turned his triumphant moment into a gigantic upset for the Mexican fighter.
Desperate Gomez came in with wild swings aware that only a gamble could turn his misfortunes around, as the crowd surged to its feet yelling “Kofi!… Kofi!!”
Strangely, Kofi Jantuah, then the fourth-ranked fighter, with everything to lose obliged his desperate opponent to the close-range combat. He landed a wicked left to Gomez’s rock-hard head, unaware that in doing so, he had dropped his right guard too low.
By sheer instinct, Gomez slammed in a crushing left, felling Kofi heavily on his back. He struggled back on wobbly legs but when referee Tony Weeks signalled him to come forward, he dangled a few steps forward and the referee waved it all over.
It was a stunning anti-climax to a sensational boxing clinic in which Kofi Jantuah displayed ring mastery never seen of him through all his campaign in Ghana that took him to a Commonwealth championship.
Late last year, he dumped the Commonwealth welterweight title so he could focus on Don King’s world championship plans for him. The plan after eight straight victories in American and British rings appeared to be in perfect course when an infection by hepatitis briefly slowed down the process.
In the undercard, Togolese-born and former Ghana-based super middleweight, Jaffa Balongou, gained a fifth-round technical knockout over Ron Weaver of New Orleans. Balongou, who is now based in New York is ranked 13th by the WBC. – Graphic Sports.
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Accra (Greater Accra Region) 16 October 2001 - The Referees Committee of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and the Referees Association of Ghana (RAG) are not seeing eye to eye over the ranking of referees for the 2001 soccer season by the RAG.
The situation led to the adoption of an “open vote system” to fill a vacant position on the proposed list of FIFA referees. Reports indicate that the 2001 ranking came under attack when one school of thought was of the view that the most logical thing to do was to push the next person on the ranking list to fill the vacant position while the other group thought otherwise.
According to sources, the failure of the fitness test by Kumasi-based Osei-Nsiah due to ill-health, led to the vacant position on the seven slot list FIFA offered Ghana.
The Chairman of the Referees Committee, Mr Johnfia, is reported to have invited comments on the issue for the meeting to decide on. Present at the meeting was the RAG technical committee.
Interestingly, none of the members uttered a word with the exception of the chairman who expressed his opinion about the instability of the three potential candidates.
When contacted, Mr Johnfia confirmed the story and said the members took that action because of the fear that information would leak out and give a bad impression about referees concerned.
“As an opinion, I passed pieces of paper around asking them to rank the three referees individually, that also failed, hence the open voting method”, he explained.
In the end, Ref. A. N. Kotey who had four votes, occupied the vacant position. Justice Agbeko pulled two votes whiles C.M. Atsatsa had one vote.
However, FIFA’s correspondence to the GFA dated July 23, 2001 is against the appointment of referees to matches by lotteries or draws in development terms.
He was quick to point out that there was nothing wrong with the method used because “soccer is dynamic and you need methods that have recorded success elsewhere especially in an open and frank manner”.
In his view asking the committee and the RAG technical members to justify their choice on paper or let out their criticism is one of the ways to help change Ghana soccer.
Currently, out of the seven places given Ghana by FIFA, only two have been appointed “by name” - Joseph Wellington and Alex Quartey. Appointment “by name” is a technique by which FIFA or CAF requests for a specific referee for a game. The other alternative method is where FIFA or CAF asks local football clubs to choose officials for a game, from their list of FIFA badge referees.
Observers however believe that with the retirement age pegged at 45 years by FIFA, younger referees should be given the opportunity so as to be experienced to handle future matches. – Times Sports.
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Accra (Greater Accra Region) 16 October 2001 - The soccer legend, Abedi Pele, Mr E. A. Owusu-Ansah and two members of the Ghana football Association (GFA), are on record to have boycotted a crises meeting of the management board of the GFA.
The meeting, which was presided over by the GFA chairman, Mr Ben Koufie, follows criticisms from the media over the technical appointments made by the chairman, without consultation.
Present at the meeting were Sylvester Mensah, Yaw La-Danso and the acting General Secretary, Kwaku Ampem-Darko.
The FA chairman has also been accused of running a one-man show, not seeking the opinion of the other members. A major issue discussed was the appointment of technical heads for the various national teams done by the FA chairman alone without the approval of his management team.
Also, the technical director of the FA was consulted over the standings of the coaches appointed. The management team did not confer to make any inputs for the new bill, which the Sports Ministry submitted to the FA for its advice. Some critics feel the absence of both members from the crises meeting sends a signal about the rough days ahead.
It is expected that the Ghana League Clubs Association, which has two representatives on the FA management board would meet the FA chairman to discuss issues relating to his administration. – Times Sports.
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Accra (Greater Accra Region) 16 October 2001 - The performance of two Ghanaian referees has been acknowledged by the World Tae Kwon Do Fedearation (WTF) with the presentation of international referee badges.
They are Frederick Lartey Otu of the Customs Excise and Preventive Services (CEPS), Tema and Corporal Joseph Kwasi Brako of the Ghana Armed Forces.
The Ghanaians were selected after excelling in examinations in which over 45 other referees from 12 African countries participated during the International Tae Kwon Do Federation seminar held in South Africa from September 11 to 13 1999.
With this, they become the only recognised Tae Kwon DO referees in the country. Their certificate was endorsed by Un Yong Kim of Korea, who is the president of the World Tae Kwon Do Federation.
According to Federick Lartey Otu, the exams which was in two segments had 60 per cent of theory and 40 per cent practical was designed to give the participants a deeper insight into the current development of the game.
He said, in all international competitions, even coaches are expected to know the WTF rules and therefore intends to organise workshops for coaches and local referees. As members of the national technical committee, they would also contribute to the executive committee of the association.
Like many other lesser known sports, funding has been the bane of Tae Kwon Do in the country to the extent that Ghana, which hosted last year’s West African competition could not participate in the said competition due to inadequate funds. - Times Sports.
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Accra (Greater Accra Region) 16 October 2001 - At the El-Wak Sports Stadium on Sunday, Social Security Bank (SSB Bank) defeated National Investment Bank (NIB) 5-4 on penalties in the finals to win this year's All Banks Football Association (ABFA) gala competition.
The match, which ended 0-0, saw SSB scoring all their five kicks as against four by NIB. On their way to the finals, SSB eliminated The Trust Bank (TTB) on 1-0, beat Bank of Ghana, the defending champions 5-3 on penalties and accounted for Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) 1-0.
NIB edged out Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) 4-3 on penalties, beat Ecobank 1-0, and eliminated Standard Chartered Bank (Stanchart) on 1-0. Bank of Ghana ladies team, The Cedi Queens won the Ladies trophy by beating SSB 3-0.
Nicholas Ashitey of NIB was adjudged the best player of the tournament. ADB won the Fair Play award and the Goal king title went to Justice Anarfi of GCB.
The trophies were presented to the men and women champions with a cash prize of 500,000 cedis each and two fair play trophies for the men and women’s competition.
Other institutions that took part in the one-day competition sponsored by The Trust Bank were the Metropolitan and Allied Bank (MAB), Barclays Bank Ghana Limited, Stanbic Bank Ghana Limited, Merchant Bank Ghana Limited and International Commercial Bank (ICB).
Mr Daniel Antwi-Boasiako, Chairman of the ABFA praised the participants for their sportsmanship throughout the games, aimed at fostering good relationship between the financial institutions.
He expressed the hope that come next year, all the financial institutions would take part in the annual event. Mr Jean M. Macarbreucq, Managing Director of the Trust Bank presented trophies and prizes to the winners.
The competition was sponsored by The Trust Bank (TTB), which presented four trophies and a sponsorship package to the All Banks Association towards this year’s banks football gala competition in Kumasi at the weekend.
According to Mr Isaac-Hemeng, General Manager of the bank, the presentation forms part of activities drawn up to commemorate the fifth anniversary celebrations of the banking fraternity and to strengthen the relationship between the banks in the country.
Mr Daniel Antwi-Boasiako, Chairman of the Association, expressed appreciation to the Trust Bank and said the annual gala competition is to among other things reduce stress associated with banking and to enable their members to exercise their muscles.
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Accra (Greater Accra Region) 16 October 2001 - As the race for the Greater Accra Pepsi hockey league gets hot every weekend, so is the goal king race in all the three divisions for men, ladies and juveniles.
In the men’s division where 102 goals have been scored, John Bress of Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), tops the list with 23 goals. No team has two positions on the chart.
Following the heels of Bress closely is one-time SWAG hockey award winner, Alfred Armah of defending champions Exchequers, with 21 goals to his credit while Eric Mainoo of Multi-Stix has 18 goals.
Others are Edward Oblie of Marine Sticks with 15 goals, Charles Sowah of Golden Sticks with 14 goals and Nii Armah of Trustees with 11 goals.
However the competition in the ladies division, unlike the men’s is only between Felicia Mifetu of Reformers of Ghana Prisons Service who has 11 goals and Grace Marmom-Halm of CEPS with 9 goals.
Three other players with four points each are Juliana Baiden, Susana Kotey and Olivia Lartey, all of Extinguishers of the Ghana National Fire Service.
In the juvenile division, apart from Petit Emmanuel Morrison of Pepsi Babies who has six goals to his credit, Golden Abbey and Godsway Baiga all of the same club, have only twp goals each to their credit with eight other players scoring a goal each. – Graphic Sports.
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Accra (Greater Accra Region) 16 October 2001 - Leading scorers in the Star Premier
League after the 23rd week matches on Sunday are as follows:
17 -- Ishmael Addo (Hearts)
11 -- Awudu Adama (Dawu)
9 --- Isaac Boakye (Goldfields), Issah Mohamnmed (Hasaacas)
8 --- Godwin Ablordey (Kotoko), Nana Arhin-Duah (Goldfields) Frank Turkson (Hasaacas)
7 --- Asamoah Dzifa (Maxbees) Nana Frimpong (Kotoko) Osei Kuffour (Hearts)
6 --- Emmanuel Donkor (Hearts) J B Danquah (Olympics)
5 --- Robert Amoaku (Goldfields) Sulemana Bentil (Kaebibirem) Charles Taylor (Hearts) Baba Sulley (Dawu) Hamza Mohammed (RTU) Ernest Boateng (Okwawu) Eric Mbroh (Dawu) Awudu Alhassan (Adansiman)
4 --- Joseph Adjei, Abass Iddrisu (RTU) Shila Alhassan, Joe Okyere(Kotoko) Albert Neequaye, Ablade Morgan (Liberty) Joe Agyeman (King Faisal) Amui Quaye (Ghapoha)
3 --- Albert Batsa, Kofi Debrah, Moses Tetteh, David Boateng (Liberty)
Kwaku Asare (Adansiman) Frank Osei (King Faisal) Adzagba Komi (RTU) John Kudjoe, William Agyapong (Bofoakwa) Ellis Opoku (Kaebibirem) Issa Shaibu (Maxbees) Edmund Copson, Bernard Don Bortey (Hearts) Kingsley Kwarteng, Ebo Mends (Hasaacas) Alfred Nii Larbi (Okwawu) Albert Nkansah (Olympics)
2 --- Fatawu Arola (RTU) Anthony Mintah, Baffour Gyimah, Tahiru Abdulai, Kwadwo Opoku (Bofoakwa) Adu Kwaku, Ayitey Dorman (Kaebibirem) Eric Gawu, Chibsah
Yusif (King Faisal) Lawrence Adjei, Joe Louis, Steven Oduro, Michael Osei
(Kotoko) Princeston Owusu-Ansah (Goldfields) Willie Hammond, Anthony Appiah
(Maxbees) Ben Kwame, Alex Awuah, Sammy Addo (Ghapoha) Nicholas Addo, Ibrahim Labaran (Dawu) Nana Adarkwa, Mike Acheampong, Seth Antwi, George Brown, Francis Aggrey (Arsenals) Asare Nyarko, Johnson Eklu, Kwesi Keremanteng (Okwawu) Awuley Quaye (Hearts) David Amoaku, David Larkotey, Dennis Odoom (Olympics) Isaac Asari, Haruna Gariba, Paul Attiah, Hope Leveh (Adansiman) Ernest Papa Arko (Liberty)
1 --- Abubakar Yakuza, Tijani Mohammed, Ben Boakye, Kwabena Opoku, Ben Wilson, Awudu Ronaldo (King Faisal) Nuhu Mohammed, Victor Antwi, Salifu Shaabu,
Martin Appau (Kwaebibirem) Samuel Kyere, Ibrahim Yahaya, Joseph Boakye,
Razak Moro, Shaibu Yussif, Seth Ofori, Adu Poku (Arsenals) Limbambani Yedibahoma, Akakpo Patron Wahid Mohammed, Yaw Berko (Liberty) Samuel Hansen, Richard Anderson, Mensah Pomanney, Michael Thompson (Ghapoha) Samuel Aryetey, Frank Adjei, Kwabina Dodzie, Fatau Barns (Olympics) Kofi Apetor, Richard Mireku, Alfred Nii Darko, Seth Osei, Yaw Ohene Noble, Robert Kingston, Matthew Konadu, Paul Amposah, Osei Bonsu, George Tutu (Okwawu) Charles Ampiah, Kwaku Armah, Alfred Arthur, Osei Kofi, Collins Afriyea (Adansiman) James Boateng, Steven Amo, Eric Boakye, Aminu Musah, Ofosu Amoah (Goldfields) Richard Oppong, Ben Kusi, George Yamoah, Kennedy Boadi, Kwasi Matthew, Clovis Kambou (Bofoakwa) Ibrahim Kuvi, Sulemana Faisal, Fusani Sumaila, Kwame Acheampong (RTU) Joshua Quarcoopome, Kofi Acquah, Eric Marfo, George Ampoful, Clement Cove, Ben Adjei (Maxbees) Abedi Sarfo, Aziz Ansah, Ofosu Amoah (Kotoko) Lawrence Adjah Tetteh (Hearts) Chronicle Amadu, Ahmed Issah (Dawu) Emmanuel Okyere (Hasaacas)
NB: Chart does not include scorer(s) of Goldfields/Kwaebibirem match
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Accra (Greater Accra Region) 16 October 2001 - Golfers in the Greater Accra Region would once again have the opportunity of assessing their battle-readiness for the next week's Accra Open Golf championship, when this year's Taywood Bowl golf competition tees off at the Achimota Golf Course in Accra on Saturday, October 20.
Last week, golfers throughout the country used the Asantehene Open to assess their readiness for the prestigious Accra Open but this time, only golfers from Achimota, Tema and the Celebrity Golf Clubs are eligible to participate in the Taywood Bowl competition, which is being sponsored by Taysec Ghana Limited.
A spokesman for the Achimota Golf Club, said the one-day 18-hole competition is expected to attract over 120 amateur golfers and named seasoned players who have registered for the event as Dan Dennis, J.F. Sam, Nick Smallman and Yaw Assah-Sam, all of Achimota.
The outgoing Minister of Transport and Communication, F.K. Owusu-Adjapong, is expected to lead the Tema team which had vowed to wrestle the trophy for the first time. Mr Andrew Holmes, Managing Director of Taysec Ghana Limited will present prizes to winners.
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Fan calls for club in memory
of footballer
Kintampo (Brong Ahafo Region) 16 October 2001 - Mr Kofi Adu-Bediako, a Kintampo-based sports fan, has suggested the establishment of a sporting club in memory of the late Baba Yara, an ace footballer in the 1960s who hailed from Kintampo.
Mr Adu-Bediako said the club would promote sporting activities among the youth in the area. “Sports is a profession through which a number of people world wide are earning their living”, he said and appealed to the Kintampo District Assembly to allocate part of its common fund towards the promotion of sports in the district.
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