Backward cyclist wants sponsorship
FIFA’s GOAL Programe to benefit Ghana
Accra
(Greater Accra) 08 March 2002 - The Ghana Football Authority (GFA) is to
benefit from the World Football Governing body, FIFA’s GOAL Programme for the
next two years. The GFA therefore joins 116 national associations that have
been selected by the FIFA GOAL Bureau, a committee that has been tasked to
ensure the success of the programme, which are expected to benefit from the
governing body’s new initiative.
According
to a release signed by FIFA’s General Secretary, Mitchel Zen-Ruffinen and
copied to the GFA, FIFA has noted the national body’s interest towards the GOAL
Programme and the international body, by its respect for a balance between
confederations is considering countries under the Confederation of African
Football (CAF) under the total budget approved by the FIFA congress for the
year.
The
release confirmed that the GFA would benefit from the programme in the next two
years and hoped that concrete action plans would be put place to enhance total
development of football in the country. According to Mr Zen-Ruffinen, the FIFA
Finance Committee at its Zurich meeting last month decided to present the
2003-2006 budget to the National Association during the FIFA Congress in Seoul,
South Korea, with provision that the Financial Assistance Programme and the
GOAL Programme will be continued during the next four years.
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 08 March 2002 - The registration of players for this season’s
premier league took off at the Ghana Football Association on Thursday. The
registration exercise, aimed at ensuring status and eligibility of players
featuring in the premiership, is expected to progress till the end of the first
round of this seasons Premier League.
According
to the Professional League Board, all clubs featuring in the elite division are
required to deposit their contracts and release letters and card A of their
respective players with the FA for endorsement.
Meanwhile,
there are mounting speculations that quite a substantial number of players are
likely to change clubs this season. Already, some prominent ones have begun
flirting with clubs, which have apparently been able to satisfy their
conditions of service to win their confidence to play for them.
Notable
among the players who have made their intention to cross carpet to other clubs
clear is Nana Arhin Duah, a prolific forward of Obuasi Goldfields who has
already featured in some off-season matches for Kotoko. But negotiations on the
actual cost of the player are still ongoing as both Goldfields and Kotoko are
yet to agree on a definite amount that could lead to the release of his card A
to the Porcupine Warriors.
While
Berekum Arsenals playmaker, John Paintsil, is said to have completed
negotiations with Liberty Professionals, another Goldfields prodigy, Princeton
Owusu Ansah, is believed to be packing his bag and baggage to Accra to play for
league champions, Hearts of Oak.
Obviously,
Hearts are set to lose the services of their two key strikers, Emmanuel Osei
Kuffour and goal poacher Ishmael Addo. Addo has just started playing for his
new French club, Bastia, while Kuffour is still in the process of securing a
new offer in far away China. - Graphic Sports.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 08 March 2002 - Champion Club Accra Hearts of Oak are likely to miss the services of their dependable defender Dan Oppong in their first leg first round preliminary match against Stade Malien of Mali, in this year's African Champions' League at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday.
This is sequel to an injury he sustained in the 80th minute in last Wednesday's GHALCA Top Four grand finale match against Dansoman-based Liberty Professionals at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Ghana New Agency investigation has it that Oppong, who joined Hearts from Bofoakwa last season is suffering from contusion and the team's doctor is seriously working on him. But according to the investigation, the defender's recovery rate is quite slow which puts his chances of playing in Sunday's game in doubt.
Team officials told the GNA that Dan Oppong's absence would be a big blow to Hearts against the backdrop that Stephen Tetteh, one of the rear guards would also not be in action due to the red card he received in their last match against Etoile Du Congo last year. However, the two coaches Ofei Ansah and Archibald Lamptey are working around the clock to find a possible replacement.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 08 March 2002 - This year's Women's Soccer League will be ushered in with a 15-team Gala at the Accra Sports Stadium on Saturday, March 23. The Greater Accra Women’s Soccer Committee (GAWSOC) announced this, after a meeting in Accra on Thursday.
Mr Frederick Gyan Akoto, chairman of the committee told the GNA Sports that GAWSOC was working hard to secure sponsorship packages for the tournament in order to make it attractive. He said he would liase with the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to make the occasion a landmark event in the annals of women football.
The chairman said four teams would be invited from the regions to compete, with 11 registered clubs in the Greater Accra Region. He named the guest teams as Peki Ladies from the Volta Region, Delorm Ladies of Akwatia in the Eastern region, GHATEL Ladies of Takoradi in the Western Region and their counterparts from Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region.
Teams from the Grater Accra Region consist of Ghatel Ladies F/C, La Ladies F/C, Post Ladies F/C, Nungua Ladies F/C and Greater Mawuena Ladies F/C. The rest are Comsport Ladies F/C, Dansoman Ladies F/C, Supper Lions Ladies F/C and Tesano Ladies F/C, Ashiaman Ladies and Tema Zion Ladies. Mr. Akoto appealed to corporate bodies and soccer loving Ghanaians to come to the committee's aid since organizing such a competition is very expensive.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 08 March 2002 - Alex Kwafo, the Backward cyclist has appealed to individuals and corporate bodies to sponsor backward cycling in order to extend it to the international scene. He said there is the need to promote the sport so that Ghana could be accredited with it when it becomes a global sport.
"Africans should not wait for the Whites to develop and promote a sport before we take it up," Kwafo told GNA Sports. Kwafo said he has been able to train young people in Kasoa, Bubiashie and Ada in the Eastern and Central regions respectively, adding that it is gradually catching up with the people and there is the need to encourage it.
According to the backward cyclist, he is aiming at training people in neighbouring West African countries as part of his aim to give an international acceptability to the sport, hence his appeal to well meaning Ghanaians.
He said even though there is no competitor for him at the international level, he is capable of making fantastic times and give the sport a boost during sponsored exhibition shows. On why he took to backward riding, Kwafo said he felt there is the need to bring innovation to the cycling field, so that the sport could take a new dimension.
Alex Kwafo refuted claims that, backward cycling is harmful to health saying that other sports like football, acrobatics, karate and Tae Kwon-do are equally harmful but people still indulge in them. He said since he has been riding backwards for almost a decade, there has not been any harmful effect on him, adding that he feels fitter anytime he trains. Alex Kwafo urged Ghanaians not to see the sport as unprofitable since it can put the name of Ghana on the international map in future adding, "I want to do something for mother Ghana."
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