Game of Ampe going international
Accra (Greater Accra) 09 April 2002 - The Referees Association of Ghana (RAG) has said the association would not hesitate to sanction any member who would bring the image of the association into disrepute during the league season.
Mr Clement Okai, Treasurer of RAG told the GNA Sports on Sunday that the association has subsequently psyched up its members against the backdrop of the May 9 Stadium disaster. He said RAG has taken members through some refreshers courses, which are likely to be beefed up by the Ghana Football Association (GFA).
Mr Okai said RAG has met with the Professional League Board (PLB) to tackle problems such as security, appointment of match officials and allowances. He said PLB has assured the referees of adequate security during matches adding that talks have been completed to bring in soldiers to assist the Police.
Inner perimeters are also being erected at some of the centres to curb crowd violence, the PLB said. Mr Okai said the PLB also promised to publish names of officials who would handle matches every week. He appealed to the GFA to pay referees their 2001 FA Cup outstanding officiating allowances as well as that of the middle league else they would advise themselves.
"We don't want to disrupt this year's league calendar but if after three weeks, nothing is heard we will advise ourselves."
Mr Okai called on Club chairmen to educate their supporters against hooliganisms since most them are ignorant of the rules of the game.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 09 April 2002 - Ernst Middendorf, Head coach of Kumasi Asante Kotoko has criticised the timing of the newly constituted board of Directors of the club and said it nearly derailed the team's programme.
The coach who is in his second year with the Osei Krom lads said though he is not eligible to point out to the patron of the team as to when to appoint a board, he thinks it should have been done earlier than they did. He said since the technical handlers had done all the major things like player recruitment and transfers, setting up the board at the time could distract the team's attention and may affect their performance.
He told the GNA Sports in Accra that while there seem to be coordination between the playing body and the technical handlers, the same couldn't be said of the board adding, "they seem to be in a limbo." Concerning this year's league, Middendorf said if Kotoko could minimise the mistakes, they could win the league.
He conceded that irrespective of the seemingly difficulties in the camp of the defending champions Accra Hearts of Oaks, they (Hearts) remain a big threat to their (Kotoko) title aspirations since the Phobians are capable of rising above the occasion at any time. Middendorf was full of praise for the Dansoman-based Liberty Professionals. He described them as potential contenders who could pose a stiff challenge in the season.
The coach said however, that teams like Brong Ahafo United should not be ruled out judging from their performance in the gala and their current victory over Goldfields. He said irrespective of the stumbling blocks, nothing could stop Kotoko from getting to the "dream land." Having come under fierce criticism from the media for his quick temper during matches, the coach said his quest to protect his valuable players made him to be misunderstood.
He said, "it is completely unacceptable to watch your players being whacked thereby sustaining injuries that either affect their performance or even bring their carrier to an end." Concerning officiating, the tactician, said he won't sit down for any referee to watch unconcern while his boys are manhandled on the pitch.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 09 April 2002 - The Professional League Board (PLB), has said that soccer fans who would indulge in any form of hooliganism would be arrested and prosecuted. To this end, uniformed security personnel or those in mufti would be detailed to the stands to detect offenders and make on the spot arrests.
Mr Sylvester Mensah, Chairman of the Professional League Board (PLB) at a press briefing in Accra said the measure is to rid the stadia and fields of crowd violence. He said in order to meet this objective management of all league clubs should ensure that adequate security personnel are provided for their home matches.
The chairman said club chairmen and officials would be expected to show exemplary conduct at all times so that their supporters would emulate them. Mr Mensah said" if for any reason the atmosphere is threatened, club chairmen and other officials would have the responsibility of controlling their supporters."
He said a monitoring and evaluation task force had been set up to monitor and evaluate performances of match officials on weekly basis in order to weed out bad ones from the system, adding that match reports by appointed officials must reach the FA secretariat within 48 hours and officials who fail to do so would face sanctions.
On the premier league, Mr. Mensah said Real Tamale United (RTU) would continue to use the Kaladan Park until rehabilitation work on the Park commences before they shift to the Bolga Park, while Sekondi Hasaacas would also use the Gyandu Park and shift to the Cape Coast Siwdu Park when rehabilitation work begins at Gyandu.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 09 April 2002 - The Women Sports Association of Ghana (WOSPAG) on Wednesday launched the first-ever traditional ‘Okonto Ampe’ game at competitive level at the Accra Sports Stadium. Consequently a competition has been scheduled for April 12 at the Accra Sports Stadium by WOSPAG to formally make it one of the sporting disciplines under the National Sports Council (NSC).
Launching the game, Mrs Gertrude Opare Addo of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) and a regular hostess of GBC's radio programme "woman to woman" expressed joy about the recognition being given to women in sports now. She urged women to use this opportunity to improve upon their performances to win laurels for themselves and for the nation. Mrs Opare Addo called on the media to give equal attention to women in sports as they do to the men.
Dr Debora Cubagee, chairman of the association said the picking up of the Okonto Ampe game was based on a request made by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) through the Ghana Olympic Committee as a way of promoting traditional women's game in Africa. Dr Cubagee expressed the hope that Ghana would be able to fashion out this game well enough for it to become one of the IOC games to be competed in.
She also entreated the press to give women a fair chance in their coverage, so as to encourage more girls to participate in sports. Dr Cubagee took the opportunity to outline the association's programme for the year, which include leadership training programme for members in the regions, workshop for female coaches, trainers and officials among others. Okonto ampe is a traditional game in Ghana, which is mostly played by females of all ages and can be used as a warming-up exercise for other games.
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