Sports
Atletico Madrid’s Thomas Partey …10 things to know about him
Atletico Madrid midfielder, Thomas Partey, is one of the most sought-after players in Europe at the moment.
Following a very impressive season for his club, Partey has been linked all summer with a move to some of the biggest clubs in Europe.
Premier League side Arsenal appear to be the favourites to land a deal for the Ghanaian, having been pursuing him since January.
The English club is, however, reluctant to pay Partey’s €50m release clause and recently had an offer of £23m plus Matteo Guendouzi rejected by Atletico.
The Spanish club is also desperate to keep him and have reportedly offered him an improved contract.
The player is still a bit of an unknown quantity to many Premier League fans off the pitch.
So here are a few things to know about Thomas Partey, posted on the official website of La Liga, as clubs continue to wrangle for his signature.
• He was born in Odumase Krobo (Ghana) on June 13, 1993, and grew up playing in teams from his home town.
• He’s the oldest of eight children in his family.
• His father runs and trains a team in Odumase Krobo, where Thomas started playing until he was nine.
• While playing for that team, his father gave him the nickname “Senegal”, because he reminded him of a friend with the same name.
• After playing for his father’s team, Thomas developed as a footballer in a neighbourhood side while waiting for new opportunities.
• The chance to take a big step up came when Tema Youth, a Ghanaian team from Division Two, spotted him. With them, he earned a promotion play-off to the Ghanaian top-flight.
• His performances were noted by the scouts and glowing reports about his abilities swept through the country. Thomas has said an agent registered interested with him in 2011 despite never having seen him play.
• His agent quickly saw his potential and decided to take him to Spain, where he was given a trial with the Atletico Madrid youth academy. The Rojiblanco coaching staff did not hesitate to sign him.
• In four months, he made the leap from their Under 18s to the Under 19s, and a season later he was already in the ‘Colchonero’ second team. He was loaned out to RCD Mallorca and Almeria before Diego Simeone would give him a run in the first team.
• He has played 26 times for Ghana’s national team, the Black Stars and scored nine goals.
Sports
Follow official procedures when making donations to the club – Hearts of Oak to fans
Accra Hearts of Oak Sporting Club has reminded its supporters and well-wishers to follow official procedures when making donations to the club.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the club said it appreciates the continuous support shown by individuals and groups toward its teams, including the Senior Boys Team, Auroras, Oak Ladies and Royal Oaks.
However, management expressed concern over unsolicited donations and public fundraising activities outside the club’s structures.
It noted that while goodwill is welcome, all forms of support must be routed through the Supporter Liaison Office at the club’s secretariat.
According to the statement, the welfare of the teams is the responsibility of management, and any attempt to bypass established protocols undermines transparency and accountability.
The club stressed that donations not channeled through the official process would not be accepted by team officials or coaching staff.
Hearts of Oak assured supporters that it remains committed to building a united club culture based on professionalism, discipline and respect.
It also encouraged stakeholders to work with management to uphold the dignity of the club.
The club urged the public to contact the Supporter Liaison Office through the secretariat for inquiries and support,
By: Jacob Aggey
Sports
Armwrestling: Immigration, Prisons meet African champions
The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) and Ghana Prisons Service (GPS) in separate ceremonies have welcomed officers of both security institutions who recently returned from Abuja, Nigeria after participating in the 14th Africa Armwrestling Championship.
The Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, Mr. Patience Baffoe Bonnie, and the leadership of the Service, were present to congratulate the champions, Daniel Acquah (four gold medals), Mabel Yeboah (four gold medals) and Henry Otoo (two silver, two bronze), on their impressive performances.
The champions presented their medals to the Director-General, and shared their experiences and insights with the top officials.
During the meeting, the Director-General of the GPS, Mrs Baffoe Bonnie, expressed her excitement about the potential benefits of sports for inmates.
She noted that sports could play a significant role in rehabilitation and pledged to support the development of armwrestling within the prisons service.
In a related development, the Comptroller-General of the GIS, CGI Samuel Basintale, commended his members – Edward Yamoah Asamoah (two gold medals), Blessed Abeka Nunoo (one gold, one silver, two bronze), Godwin Sackey (one gold, one silver) and referee Nii Otoo Larkyne, for the feat.
Mr Basintale promised to provide support for the development of armwrestling within the service, including training facilities, equipment, and sponsorship.
The African Armwrestling champions from the security services won a total of 20 medals out of Ghana’s 55 medal haul.
They expressed gratitude and promised to continue promoting the sport and inspiring others to take up armwrestling.
Mr Charles Osei Asibey, President for Ghana Armwrestling Federation, was thrilled by the promise and continuous collaborations and support for the development of armwrestling in Ghana by the security services.
—GNA
