Sports Minister reveals CCTV failure at Black Stars' hotel in Vienna before robbery

Police in Vienna, Austria, are investigating a robbery involving Ghana’s national football team after it emerged that CCTV cameras at the team’s hotel were not functioning at the time of the incident.

The Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, confirmed that the malfunctioning surveillance system is now a central focus of the ongoing police probe.

“They are working to carry out the investigation. The initial report we have is that the CCTV was not functioning, and the police are checking when it stopped working and who was responsible for the hotel’s surveillance system at that time,” Adams said.

Reports indicate that the robbers made away with $2,250 in cash and two Rolex watches belonging to players.

The Black Stars opened camp in Austria on Sunday, with training sessions beginning on Monday as preparations intensified for their upcoming fixtures.

However, following their third training session on Wednesday, two players reported the theft of Rolex watches valued at approximately $20,000, according to local media reports.

The situation escalated the following day when a member of the technical team discovered that $2,250 in cash had also gone missing. Team officials subsequently reported the incident to Austrian authorities.

Investigations have encountered early challenges after hotel management indicated that the facility’s surveillance cameras were not functioning at the time of the incident. Police are now working to establish when the system failed and whether there was any negligence.

Despite the setback, the Black Stars remain focused on their scheduled friendly against Austria at the Ernst-Happel-Stadion, with kick-off set for 17:00 GMT.

Head coach Otto Addo and his squad are expected to travel to Stuttgart afterwards for another high-profile friendly against Germany on Monday, 30 March.

Both matches are seen as crucial in preparing the team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The fixture against Austria marks the first meeting between the two sides since their 1-1 draw at the same venue in March 2007. With the tournament approaching, the technical team is expected to use the matches to assess squad depth and build momentum ahead of tougher competition.