Ghana FA threatens legal action over controversial 2014 World Cup commission's report

Published on: 27 June 2015
Ghana FA threatens legal action over controversial 2014 World Cup commission's report
The Black Stars protested in Brazil because of the failed promises

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) says it is launching a legal challenge to a report into the country's poor 2014 World Cup after some members of the federation were accused of misdeeds following the tournament in Brazil.

In its first reaction since the full report of the Dzamefe Commission was released on Monday, the GFA slammed part of the probe's findings as 'misleading and inaccurate'.

The GFA also said the presidential commission's report into their group-stage exit was "hideously inappropriate" in parts.

The report which has been widely condemned as one-sided, asked the GFA president Kwesi Nyantakyi to be further investigated while key members George Afriyie, Felix Ansong and Emmanuel Gyimah have been asked not to serve on the national team.

But  the federation looks to have been sparked into its first reaction after the Dzamefe Report outlined a $100,000 fee paid to Ghana's equipment manager - dubbed a "ball boy" in the report.

Ismail Hamidu did receive the payment but the GFA said his role as "kit manager" was being ridiculed by a commission it accuses of "posturing".

In earning $100,000, Hamidu received the same appearance fee as players and manager James Kwesi Appiah, but the GFA claims his bonus payments would not have been equal to theirs.

"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," a GFA statement read.

"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 vetted and approved it."

The GFA has been left angered by the reaction to the description of the kit manager and said it has asked its lawyers to challenge the finding of the commission in

"The posturing of the commission by describing the kit manager as a 'ball boy', and the several other misleading and inaccurate conclusions, is what has led the GFA to instruct its lawyers to challenge the findings in court as mandated by the constitution of Ghana," the federation said in a statement on Friday night.

During the tournament, in which the Black Stars drew their final group game with Portugal, the country's government flew $3m (£1.91m) to South America to settle a pay dispute with players after several failed promises by the government which resulted in Sulley Muntari beating up a member of the management team.

The Dzamefe Report

A page in the Dzamefe Report outlining a $100,000 payment to a "ball boy" has angered Ghana's FA

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