ADVERTISEMENT
3 reasons why Ghana should not fly supporters to the U-17 World Cup in India
Ghana looks to be actually following the Dzamefe report in the approach to flying supporters to support the team in India. However Pulse Sports' Kwaku Anno-Kumi has reasons why flying supporters to India is not a policy to be encouraged.
Recommended articles
The last time Ghana presented the twinkle little starlets on the world stage, Ghana finished 4th.
That got the multitude of Ghanaian soccer loving populace in a very excited and hopeful stance that the future of Ghana football looked bright. This is where one would wish the scientists and inventors of our time had brought about “The Time Machine”.
This would have been used to go back and tell the Ghanaian fans in 2007 that the Black Starlets were not to see World Cup football for a decade. It would or would not have changed the fortunes of the Black Starlets form then till now. It would have as well changed the demeanor of fans towards the approach in supporting their beloved teams. They could have been appreciative of every chance they have to support the Starlets or any other national team.
ADVERTISEMENT
This should be irrespective of where each game is going to be played. Be it Paga, Tuobodom, Gyingyini, New York, Chicago or Athens fans should be present to support any national team.
Ghana are going to participate in the 2017 World Cup in India from the 6th October,2017 and we have a number of supporter groups ready to go out there to gladly support our Starlets.
We breakdown reasons why Ghana should not fly supporters using state funds.
Support should be unconditional
Ghana has a number of teams who represent the nation in various capacities no matter the sport. In recent times we see the various supporters unions ever prepared to support the nation when it is a FIFA tournament. We do have Travel and Tours companies ever available to announce cool and nice travel arrangements because the market of supporters to these locations are omnipresent.
ADVERTISEMENT
Now, Ghana has a WAFU tournament being hosted in Cape Coast but none of these supporters have officially made their ways to the central regional capital for any reason. As supporter groups they should at least to be present at this tournament to add to the euphoria whether or not Ghana is playing a game.
Another expedition Ghanaian supporters could also decide to embark on is to follow the female U-20 National sides Black Princesses as they go to play in a not so much accommodating venue in Algiers. The Princesses start a journey to qualify for the U-20 World Cup which will take place in France next year.
Supposing these girls qualify finally make it to France we will definitely see another group of supporters with that preparedness to go to France. A fan supports his team through thick and thin no matter where the play and that is not seen in supporter’s groups unfortunately. A question that should be asked to our dear minister Honourable Sports Minister Isaac Asiamah is that: Did the state fly any group of supporters to Gabon for the 2017 African Youth Championships? If yes and surprisingly nobody knew of it why now tell the supporters to come together and form one group?
If not then what has made the world cup different? If you remain bonuses for players, please maintain arrangement for supporters because from all indications your government wants to maintain consistency in how state funds are spent.
The Dzamefe Report White Paper
ADVERTISEMENT
There is a misconception going through the media and the author of this very piece has been a victim ad a culprit to accepting and fuelling it. The speculation is that using state funds in flying supporters to any major tournament is an affront to the Government’s white paper recommendations from the Dzamefe Commision 2014 World Cup Enquiry report.
The reality is that from the statement which came from the Sports Minister Honourable Isaac Asiamah the state is actually following the recommendations of the Government White Paper.
Here are excerpts from the White Paper on the Dzamefe Commission reports
“This from 2.3 Paragraph&3.1.6& (pages&22N23):&feeding of the White Paper which talks about feeding.
Government also accepts the following recommendations of the Commission:
ADVERTISEMENT
a. In the present state of multiple supporters’ groups, supporters must seek their own sponsorship to participate in tournaments and the state should, as a matter of policy, not directly employ public or state funds to airlift, accommodate and feed supporters.
b. Where the Government deems it necessary to sponsor supporters, there should be a clear policy and Criteria for selection of Supporters to attend such tournaments to ensure transparency in the selection on the premise that the various supporters groups should come together to form a single National Group.
c. Supporters/fans who intend to travel for tournaments must make their own arrangements! With respect to feeding and accommodation.
d. The engagement of caterers to feed supporters should be discouraged.”
Isaac Asiamah decided to go the way of the second (b) with the white paper on supporters.
ADVERTISEMENT
“If there should be any organization for supporters which may happen this time round for them to go and cheer them up in India, we will ask them to come together under one elephant. Yes they should come together,"
This was Asiamah when he was hinting at the idea of flying supporters to India. However, the most ideal position he needed to take on this was the provision in (a). This is because state funds at the moment will really need to cater for a number of pressing issues in sports development. This very decision should have probably when push came to shove because it for the reasons I earlier stated it should not most if not all of these supporter groups to find sponsors for this very trip to India.
We need to set out priorities right
Nobody under the sun can convince any football loving individual that the mere presence of fans at a particular venue is a priority. Football in Ghana is gradually taking a nosedive with especially the quality of infrastructure and working conditions of football players.
Any little amount of funds that could be used to fly supporters to far away can be used to better the state of our facilities in Ghana. Ghana should be ashamed to be left with just one quality venue for the WAFU tournament in the southern sector of the land. Any amount could go into maintenance of these infrastructures. Another priority misplaced is the fact that a fitness coach who was taking the Black Starlets through physical drills was not taken but there are plans to take fans to India. Perhaps this fitness coach should join the fans and find a way to join the team at their hotel.
JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!
ADVERTISEMENT
Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:
Email: eyewitness@pulse.com.gh
Recommended articles
Brazil legend Marta to retire from international football Olympics
Ghana's 4X100 relay team to battle at Penn Relays for Olympic qualification
Zinabu Issah snatch gold in discus throw at 2024 Paralympics in Morocco
Video: Watch how the Black Starlets beat Serbia 5-1 in the UEFA U-16 tournament
Kurt Okraku’s administration is the best ever in Ghana’s history – Mohammed Polo
The Intersection of Enthusiasm: United Kingdom's local motorsports and Ghana's rising stars
Video: Watch Fatawu Issahaku’s hat trick in Leicester City’s win against Southampton
RTU suspends coach Abdulai Mumin over match-fixing allegations
