Editorial: Randy’s Affirmative Action Uninspiring!

Has it come to that? that certain notable persons in the GFA who have played key roles since Kwesi Nyantakyi took over the leadership in 2005 have begun developing cold feet or apathy towards the administration in pursuit of their own ambitions?

One such personality, rumoured to have thrown his hat into the ring to contest Nyantakyi for the presidency of the FA, is Randy Abbey.

For starters, Randy had been the FA’s spokesman till the 2014 Brazil World Cup when the newly appointed Deputy General Secretary of the FA in charge of Communications, Sanni Daara, took over the reins.

Could this and other events before and after the World Cup be the beginning of Abbey’s steps to move away from the bond of the team of ‘Three Musketeers’ in the FA leadership?

The other two musketeers are Nyantakyi himself and Fred Pappoe, who is also believed to be eyeing the presidency, just like Abbey, but have his plans under wraps for now.

For Abbey, however, he must have given the strongest indication yet about his ambitions when he reportedly wrote to the FA last Friday rejecting his chairmanship of the Black Queens Management Committee on the grounds that it was time a woman occupied that position.

Indeed, as we reported in our flagship, the DAILY GRAPHIC, last Saturday, Abbey pin-pointedly asked that his appointed vice, Madam Linear Addy, be made to take up the position in the spirit of affirmative action.

But, like many, we are wont to doubt his sincerity about his affirmative sermon and think that his action rather tantamounts to despising women’s football.

We may be wrong, but we dare repeat that Abbey is not interested in serving women’s football by his outright rejection of the position. For, it would rather he considered swapping positions with Linear, so he becomes the vice on the same committee.

We strongly believe that Ghanaians would have hailed or better appreciated his desire to promote the so-called affirmative action if he had opted to play a supportive role as vice to the lady in the Black Queens Management Committee.

Let it be stated that we are not against affirmative action in our football management. It may be an ideal and good thing generally in governance or management practice, but we are not inspired by this one from Abbey.

Indeed, if we are to proceed on that tangent, will the FA be justified or able to place women in charge of all the national women’s teams and any footballing activity in which girls or women are involved?

Can we then stretch the argument that the very Black Queens should be handled by a female coach? And should all matches involving the Queens be handled by female referees?

As well, can we further argue that if male coaches or referees are appointed in any of these situations instead of females, the former should decline in obeisance to affirmative action?

These are possibilities or probabilities that surely cannot stand the test of time, we must stress, as it could be thought also that women should no longer be involved in the administrative, technical and officiating aspects of men’s football.

Abbey, you must be smarter than this and it is the reason we want to appeal to you to quickly rescind your decision to reject the chairmanship of the Queens.

Prove your colleagues, the football people and the fans wrong, lest the suspicion that you are hungry for FA presidential power will stand affirmed.
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Source: Graphic.com