Ghana football authorities averted as serious backlash from sponsors and fans after ‘unruly’ musician Mzbel was dropped from the line-up for Friday's President's Cup.
With Ghana football struggling for corporate support, Mzbel who is standing trail for physically assaulting an on-duty police officer, was controversially included to perform at half-time of the game between Kotoko and Berekum Chelsea.
Angry civil society groups and fans had promised to disrupt her performance if GHALCA, organisers of the match to honour the country's leader, had allowed her to go ahead to perform in one of the biggest matches in Ghana's football calendar.
But after careful consideration, interim GHALCA boss Alhaji Raji and other top football officials in the country intervened and stopped her from performing.
Mzbel's performance would have damaged the Ghana FA and GHALCA for honouring someone who is alleged to have committed a serious crime with performing on a big stage.
The country's President, John Evan Atta Mills, a man known for upholding moral values, could have been embarrassed as this could have been viewed as endorsing someone who is accused of assaulting a public officer on duty.
The controversy could also have raised eyebrows from corporate sponsors as their brands could have been damaged for associating themselves with Mzbel.
Ghanaian coach Opeele Boateng raised the alarm bells on Thursday asking the organisers to remove the ‘unruly’ musician Mzbel from the list of entertainers for Friday’s match.
Mzbel, a controversial hip-life musician, is standing trial, accused of physically assaulting a police officer Lumorvi Wonder.
Mzbel was held in custody for allegedly assaulting and obstructing a police officer from executing his duty.
This came after a friend of the musician disobeyed commands to move his vehicle that was obstructing traffic in Accra.
The irate musician joined the argument between her friend and the policeman before she pounced on him, resulting in her arrest and trial.
Several stars globally lose their sponsorship deals when they are in the news for the wrong reasons as their actions could damage the brands involved.
With Ghana football struggling to get sponsorship from corporate entities, using people with bad image on big occasions could further drive away sponsors.
Popular black golfer Tiger Woods suffered sponsors' backlash after he was engulfed in a media whirlwind since he was exposed for cheating on his wife last year and is said to have lost more than US$120m.
On 31 December telecoms giant AT&T said it would no longer sponsor Woods, after he started getting bad media coverage.
Apart from AT&T, Accenture and razor maker Gillette and the watchmaker Tag Heuer all scaled down their use of the star.
Separately, soft drink brand Gatorade dropped a Tiger Woods-endorsed product which is also believed to be connected with Woods' bad ways.