IS AFRICAN FOOTBALL AND FOOTBALL AS A WHOLE IN SAFE HANDS?

A series of events clouding the judgment the world football governing body and the African football governing body has left loopholes for many local football governing bodies to play around. Starting with FIFA, then CAF and to the Ghana Football Association.

It is believed that a body that governs must be notably informed of things that concern their governorship and also conduct rapid audits into situations that might infringe on the credibility of their operations.

Many players, coaches, football associations and stakeholders have lost their voice one way or the other with the leaderships doing little to remedy the situation. As many are well aware, racial abuse in world and club football, media protection, payment of players, FIFA and CAF allowances to local governing bodies, the government being sidelined from conducting audits into how some FIFA, CAF funds are disbursed in the running of football is doing more harm that good.

For the purpose of Understanding, we will limit the writeup to the current issue of maintenance of stadiums to meet CAF approval or international standards to host games and also the issue relating to ‘a conflict of interest’ against a head coach who doubles as an Executive Committee Member of another football association.

Ghana and the Ghana football association have over the years had their ways around and CAF seems to be making it more easier as they make it easy for them to get of the hook, in recent times, the Ghana football association were ordered to ensure their presented stadiums for an AFCON qualifier meets CAF and some acceptable standard before they are allowed to play home games and these were done over night, is CAF only responsible for National teams?

In 2023, Mr. James Kwesi Appiah, a Ghanaian former footballer and Ghana Black Stars head coach picked a slot as a GFA EXCO member after amassing ten (10) votes at the GFA congress, fast forward same became the head coach of the Sudanese national team.

Questions asked after he picked up the latter appointment was;

1. When is the GFA going to ask him officially to resign
2. when is he going to hand in his resignation as the Exco member
3. Is this approved by CAF
4. Is CAF privy to the names of football association Exco members
5. Will CAF call either the person involved or associations to mend the situation

It is amazing how I personally got insulted for saying it is wrong for the person in question to hold both positions while there are liable to play competitive games in the future and even how vital information can be transferred to the other association while the person in question continues to hold both positions.

I continued to ask whether or not CAF or the GFA were waiting till a day like this comes before they either petition for such to be done.

Letters circulating on social media suggests CAF has requested Mr. James Kwesi Appiah, the head coach of Sudan to immediately take action to resolve this situation. My question remains, does Mr. James Kwesi Appiah know his holding the two significant positions go contrary to the CAF Statutes and the FIFA Code of Ethics, did he care what the Ethics and Statutes entailed, if it wasn’t for this competitive match between Ghana and Sudan would any association bother to call him to order?

The ethics has already been breached and negligence is not an excuse on the part of both associations and person in question.

In as much as I have contacted CAF for clarification into the letter addressed to the Ghana Football Association and Sudan Football Association, the letter dated 6th October 2024 specifies little information as the matter should have already been at the CAF disciplinary to show the magnitude of this situation.

We look forward to getting updates to also give our cherished readers what is actually on the ground.