Disciplinary C’ttee declare
Kotoko losers against Bofoakwa
Hearts ask Jones
Attuquayefio to proceed on leave
Alhaji Grunsah contests
Sulley Muntari at Appeals Committee
Cowbell sponsor cycling league
Disciplinary C’ttee
declare Kotoko losers against Bofoakwa
Accra (Greater Accra) 25 September 2001 - Kumasi Asante Kotoko are to lose three points from their accumulated haul and pay a fine of two million cedis fine to the Ghana
Football Association (GFA).
In addition the Porcupine Warriors have been declared losers in their botched match against Bofoakwa Tano played on Sept 9 at the Sunyani Coronation Park.
This is contained in the report of the Disciplinary Committee signed by its secretary, Mr Julius Onyameama and made available to the to the press on Tuesday.
Though no reasons were given, it is believed that the decision was taken in line with the provisions of Article 33 of the Statutes of the GFA.
Article 33 (d) states among others that a team would forfeit the points at stake if a player or supporter of the team causes the abrupt end of a match. It will also lose three points from its accumulated points.
With this development, Kotoko will remain in second position on 41, giving Accra Hearts of Oak a five-point lead on top of the table with 46 points.
Bofoakwa on the other hand would remain at the sixth position on 29 points.
A fan ran onto the field during the match and hit a football boot to the head of the referee, knocking him unconscious.
Though he was revived by medical personnel on duty at the stadium the referee could not continue with the match.
The new table for the Star League is therefore as below.
Standings
Club Local/Region P W D L F A Pts GD
Hearts Accra, Greater Accra 20 14 4 2 38 11 46 +26
Kotoko Kumasi, Ashanti 20 14 2 4 30 10 41 +20
Goldfields Obuasi, Ashanti 19 10 2 7 29 14 32 +15
Hasaacas Sekondi, Western 20 9 3 8 21 21 30 0
Bofoakwa Sunyani, Brong Ahafo 20 7 7 6 21 16 29 +5
RTU Tamale, North 20 8 4 8 19 17 28 +2
Ghapoha Tema, Gt. Accra 20 6 7 7 14 13 25 +1
Okwahu Nkawkaw, Eastern 19 6 6 7 21 22 24 -1
Kwaebibrem Asuom, Eastern 20 7 3 10 17 20 24 -3
Liberty Accra, Greater Accra 19 6 5 8 21 26 23 -5
B. Arsenal Berekum, Brong Ahafo 20 6 4 10 14 29 22 -15
K. Faisal Kumasi, Ashanti 20 6 6 8 14 17 21 -3
Gt. Olympics Accra, Gt. Accra 20 4 8 8 14 19 20 -5
Adansiman Obuasi, Ashanti 20 5 5 10 18 24 20 -6
Maxbees Suhum, Eastern 20 5 4 11 17 38 19 -21
NB: King Faisal was penalised for fielding an unqualified player in the first round. They lost four points as a result. The GFA’s decision to declare Kotoko losers in a protest against them by Bofoakwa has also led to a drop in their point build-up.
GRi…/
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Hearts ask Jones
Attuquayefio to proceed on leave
Accra (Greater Accra) 25 September 2001 - Champion club Accra Hearts of Oak have asked their headcoach coach, Cecil Jones Attuquayefio to proceed on leave with immediate effect. No reasons were given for the action.
A release from the club’s management signed by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Mr Ato Ahwoi, said in the absence of Attuquayefio, Assistant Coach Ofei Ansah is to act.
It is however believed that the decision to place Jones on ice stems from the recent dismal performance of the club culminating in the 0-2 loss to Kumasi Asante Kotoko in their 19th week liner on September 16.
Hearts could also not take advantage of a 0-1 loss by Kotoko at the weekend to stretch their lead on the league table as they drew 1-1 with Bofoakwa Tano in a match in which the Phobians were found wanting at the closing stages.
Jones has since joining Hearts, secured the club four league titles plus an African Champions League and an African Super Champions League trophies which the club won last year.
He is the continent’s best coach for the 2000 soccer season for the laurels he achieved with Hearts.
GRi…/
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Alhaji Grunsah contests
Sulley Muntari at Appeals Committee
Accra (Greater Accra) 25 September 2001 - Alhaji Abdul Karim Grunsah, Chairman Premier League side King Faisal, has appealed to the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to reverse the status of Sulley Mantari to his club.
Alhaji Grunsah said, "Sulley Muntari is a bona fide player of King Faisal and I want him back to my team or Liberty should come and negotiate with me."
Sulley was signed at the beginning of this season by Liberty Professionals from unsung, Owariman of Konongo and has since sold him to Udinese in the Italian first division for an undisclosed fee.
The soccer financier said he bought Sulley from Stadium Youth Club (SYC) a colts' team in Kumasi and the player was used by Owariman without any discussions with him.
He said though Owariman claimed they registered the player in 1995 they failed to validate his form ever since, while Owariman was indeed not involved in any competition at that time.
"There was no competition in the Asante Akim District so Owariman could not have registered Sulley when he was only 11 years old.
Alhaji Grunsah said he contested the status of the player in the Ashanti Region but the Regional Football Association (REA) ruled against him without recourse to the statutes.
He said though the Ashanti Regional Football Association status committee is made up of five people, only two, Mr Antwi Gyamfi and Mr Issaka Alhassan met and deliberated on the issue and submitted a report, dismissing his claim.
"There was no quorum when the RFA ruled against my claim, that is why I have brought the case to the Appeals Committee. I want justice. It is not a small case at all."
At the GFA, Mr Julius Onyameama, Deputy General Secretary, Administration and Finance confirmed they have received an appeal on the status of Sulley from King Faisal. He did not however say when the case would be heard.
Sulley was an instant hit in the Satellites team, which played in the finals of the African and World Youth Championships in Ethiopia and Argentina respectively, early this year. He was linked with a million pound transfer to Manchester United but the deal fell through and he remained on the pay roll of Liberty until he joined Udinese in the Italian Calcio last week.
GRi…/
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Soccer-Goal scoring chart
for the Star Premier League
Accra (Greater Accra) 25 September 2001 - Leading scorers in the Star Premier
League after the 20th week matches on Sunday.
14 - Ishmael Addo (Hearts)
10 - Awudu Adama (Dawu)
9 - Isaac Boakye (Goldfields)
8 - Godwin Ablordey (Kotoko), Nana Arhin-Duah (Goldfields)
7 - Frank Turkson, Issah Mohamnmed (Hasaacas) Asamoah Dzifa (Maxbees)
6 - Emmanuel Donkor (Hearts)
5 - Robert Amoako (Goldfields) Sulemana Bentil(Kaebibirem) E. Osei Kuffour, Charles
Taylor (Hearts) Baba Sulley (Dawu) Hamza Mohammed (RTU) J.B. Danquah (Olympics)
4 - Eric Mbroh (Dawu) Joseph Adjei (RTU) Nana Frimpong, Shila Alhassan (Kotoko)
Awudu Alhassan (Adansiman) Albert Neequaye (Liberty) Ernest Boateng (Okwawu)
3 - Joe Agyeman (King Faisal) Albert Batsa, Ablade Morgan, Kofi Debrah (Liberty)
Kwaku Asare (Adansiman) Frank Osei (King Faisal) Abass Iddrisu (RTU) Amui
Quaye (Ghapoha) William Agyapong (Bofoakwa) Joe Okyere (Kotoko) Ellis Opoku
(Kaebibirem) Issa Shaibu (Maxbees) Edmund Copson (Hearts)
2 - Adzagba Komi, Fatawu Arola (RTU) Anthony Mintah, John Kudjoe, Baffour
Gyimah, Tahiru Abdulai (Bofoakwa) Adu Kwaku, Ayitey Dorman (Kaebibirem)
Eric Gawu, Chibsah Yusif (King Faisal) Lawrence Adjei, Joe Louis, Steven Oduro
(Kotoko) Princeston Owusu-Ansah (Goldfields) Willie Hammond, Anthony Appiah
(Maxbees) Kingsley Kwarteng (Hasaacas) Ben Kwame, Alex Awuah, Sammy Addo
(Ghapoha) Nicholas Addo, Ibrahim Labaran (Dawu) Nana Adarkwa, Mike
Acheampong, Seth Antwi, George Brown (Arsenals) Asare Nyarko, Johnson Eklu,
Kwesi Keremanteng (Okwawu) Awuley Quaye Bernard Don Bortey (Hearts) David
Amoaku, David Larkotey (Olympics) Isaac Asari, Haruna Gariba, (Adansiman)
Moses Tetteh (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 (Arsenals) Limbambani Yedibahoma, Akakpo Patron,
Papa Arko, David Boateng (Liberty) Samuel Hansen, Richard Anderson, Mensah
Pomanney, Michael Thompson (Ghapoha) Samuel Aryetey, Dennis Odoom, Frank
Adjei, Kwabina Dodzie, Fatau Barns (Olympics) Kofi Apetor, Richard Mireku,
Alfred Nii Darko, Seth Osei, Alfred Larbi, Yaw Ohene Noble, Robert Kingston,
Matthew Konadu, Paul Amposah, Osei Bonsu, George Tutu (Okwawu) Charles
Ampiah, Hope Leveh, Kwaku Armah, Alfred Arthur, Osei Kofi, Collins Afriyea,
Paul Attiah (Adansiman) James Boateng, Steven Amo, Eric Boakye, Aminu Musah
(Goldfields) Ebo Mends, Kwarteng Kingsley (Hasaacas) Richard Oppong, Ben Kusi,
George Yamoah, Kwadwo Opoku, Kennedy Boadi, Kwasi Matthew (Bofoakwa)
Ibrahim Kuvi, Sulemana Faisal, Fusani Sumaila, Kwame Acheampong (RTU)
Joshua Quarcoopome, Kofi Acquah, Eric Marfo, George Ampoful, Clement Cove
(Maxbees) Abedi Sarfo, Aziz Ansah, Ofosu Amoah, Michael Osei (Kotoko)
GRi…/
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Accra (Greater Accra) 25 September 2001 - Last Saturday night would forever remain one of the most important in the life of Hearts forward player, Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour .
After 10 years of hard work and relishing the dream of walking in the steps of such great soccer stars as Abedi Pele, his dream came true. He may not have achieved half the feat of the soccer maestro, but he joined him among the nation's soccer heroes when he was crowned the Best Footballer of the Year 2000 by the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) at its 26th Awards Night held at the M-Plaza Hotel in Accra.
For Osei Kuffour, though the award, for which the nomination came as a surprise, is something to be proud of, he sees it as a challenge to achieve greater feats.
"Indeed, I see my award as a big challenge, and since it is possible for a footballer to pick the prestigious SWAG Sports Personality Award, I would strive very hard to come back and win that award," he told the Graphic Sports in an interview.
Kuffour's award which comprised of a trophy donated by Swiss Air, a computer, a printer and other computer accessories donated by Digitronix, an Information Technology Company, wax prints from Akosombo Textiles Limited and a certificate of honour was the highlight of an impressive evening.
The local and continental assignments robbed the ceremony of some of its award winners notably the Referee of the Year, Mr Alex Quartey, Coach of the Year, Jones Attuquayefio and Goalking Ishmael Addo as well as Ofosu Amoah, the Prospect of the Year, Tennis Star Gunther Darkey, Frank Ofori who won the dedication and Valour Award, Aziz Zakari and Vida Anim who won the Athlete of the Year were also missed.
For Hearts of Oak however, Champion Chairman Harry Zakkour, impeccably dressed to pick his own award as the Best Chairman of the Year award, received the others on behalf of his club, coach and player and with his hands filled with all the four trophies, said, "this is just the beginning. Hearts are determined to come back and pick more awards,' he said of his club's achievement.
The other award winners: Elizabeth Baidoo, Female Footballer of the Year; Joseph Agbeko, Promising Star of the Year; Agyeman Duah, Douglas Djarbeng and Ambition Boxing Promotions who all received special awards were all overwhelmed by their awards.
The night itself was a break away from the usual SWAG Dinner Dance and Awards Night but it still maintained its lustre and prestige with the simple but impressive presentation ceremony graced with the presence of Youth and Sports Minister, Papa Owusu-Ankomah, his Deputy Mr Joe Aggrey, the out-going SWAG President, the SWAG Patrons as well as other sports personalities.
Papa Owusu-Ankomah, though had words of commendation for the SWAG, he charged sports writers and commentators to live above reproach in their duties, urging them to hold seminars that would upgrade their knowledge about technical issues of the various events they cover.
Mr Ebo Quansah, the Acting President of the SWAG, appealed to the Attorney-General to act as a matter of urgency on the Report of the Commission chaired by Sam Okudzeto on the May 9 Accra Stadium Tragedy as well as the issue of the National Olympic Stadium Complex.
He also expressed the SWAG's appreciation to Ghana Breweries Limited, Parleys Biscuits, Bamson Sikkens, Swiss Air, Akosombo Textiles Limited and Ashtead Ghana Limited for their timely financial support without which the ceremony would not have been held.
GRi…/
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Fixtures of the 20th week
Star Premier League
Accra (Greater Accra) 25 September 2001 - Fixtures for the 21st week of the Star Premier coming on Sunday, 30th September at all the league centres.
Accra: Liberty vrs Adansiman (Saturday)
Accra: Hearts vrs Ghapoha
Koforidua: Maxbees vrs King Faisal
Dawu: Dawu vrs Olympics
Kumasi: Kotoko vrs Okwawu
Obuasi: Goldfields vrs Kwaebibirem
Berekum: Arsenals vrs Bofoakwa
Tamale: R T U vrs Hasaacas
GRi…/
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Accra (Greater Accra) 25 September 2001 - Wonder Food, Ghana Limited on Monday launched a seven-week maiden cycling league involving eight cycling groups in Accra with a pledge to develop the sport by grooming a pool of young talents to compete on the international circuit.
Mrs Hilde Laeremaus, wife of the Managing Director of the company in a statement, said the sponsorship is worth 150 million cedis in the form of logistics, allowances, prizes, publicity, jerseys and trophies.
She said prizes would be awarded to deserving winners on a weekly basis. Overall winning team receives two million cedis, 1,500,000 million cedis goes to the second team, the third placed team gets one million cedis with the fourth to-eighth teams receiving 500,000 cedis each.
She promised that together with other stakeholders, cycling would be an annual and major event on the sporting calendar of the country.
Brigadier George Brock, Acting Chief Executive of the National Sports Council (NSC) on his part urged private companies to get more involved by investing part of their profits into sports development as a basic duty to the community in which they operate.
Mr Joe Anikpi, Greater Accra Regional Sports Development Officer briefed the press on the modalities of scoring points for the competing clubs and said the competition starts on September 27, 2001.
GRi…/
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