“Players Turned Down Offer From FIFA” – GFA Boss

Kwesi Nyantakyi, president of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), has revealed that, players of the Black Stars turned down an offer from the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) to pay their appearance fee through the bank.

According to him, the FA in an attempt to avert a threat by players to boycott training and the match against Portugal approached FIFA to advance money for the payment of the appearance fee.

“FIFA asked us to provide them with the bank accounts of the players and contracts between the FA and the players for the payment to be done. “My Lord, the players rejected this proposal from FIFA and insisted on receiving cash.

“His excellency John Dramani Mahama also called and spoke to three senior players; Asamoah Gyan, Michael Essien and Sulley Muntari to assure them of the money, but they carried out their threat of boycotting training”.

Nyantakyi said, “I did all that I could to prevent the players from boycotting the training but they carried out their threat. I think they were unreasonable in their demands, because I gave them the needed assurance that they were going to get the money”. He denied rumours that, the management instigated players of the Black Stars to boycott training sessions ahead of the game against Portugal saying management was not in bed with the players over the issue.

He said, negotiations for appearance fees was not done by only the GFA, but in collaboration with officials of the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MOYS).

“My Lord if management was in bed with the players, there was no way a player will assault a member of the management team.

Touching on the code of ethics for the Black Stars, the GFA president said, most of the players have signed onto the code of ethics but added that those who have not signed will do so before the next game against Guinea.

Source: GNA