Sports
No lessons learnt from gory May 9!
Twenty years ago, something tragic happened to the nation’s football. It was the May 9 Accra Sports Stadium Disaster which claimed 127 lives in cold blood.
Ghana stood motionless. Africa was petrified. The world was shell-shocked. It was the continent’s worst sporting calamity, and the second largest to be recorded in the world after the riots at the Estadio Nacional in Peru where 328 lives perished in 1964.
The horrendous May 9, 2001 disaster occurred when fans of Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko had poured out in their numbers to watch their idol clubs slot it out in a titanic Premier League game. Three precious points and bragging rights were at stake.
Sadly, what was expected to be an eye-pleasing, memorable exhibition of deluxe football, turned out to be an unspeakable evening of horror.
Disgruntled at the decision of Referee Joseph Wilson Sey for allowing what they perceived was an offside goal by Hearts’ Ishmael Addo in the 81st minute, Kotoko fans peeled off some of the plastic chairs and hurled them onto the pitch.
Other objects were also flung from all directions onto the turf in disapproval of the supposed winning goal.
The response from the police was swift but brutal as they fired several cans of tear gas canisters and rubber bullets into the crowd in a bid to disperse them. The action created a ‘fatal’ stampede, culminating in the death of the fans who were trying to escape through a rather narrow exit.
On the ground, laid innocent lives whose only crime was deciding to come to the stadium and watch their pet clubs in action. Up till today, the disaster is still gruesomely etched on the memory of millions of Ghanaians, especially those who lost their loved ones – as well as fans who witnessed the heart-rending event on that bloody Wednesday night.
Later, a bronze statue was erected outside the stadium – depicting a fan carrying another fan to safety with the inscription: “I am My Brother’s Keeper,” in honour of the victims of the tragedy.
It is a sad commentary that the pitiable statue and its inscriptions had done nothing to change the mindset of football fans.
One may have thought that bitter lessons would be gleaned from that pathetic incident – and expectedly, clubs and their fans will never ever do anything to trigger another disaster of a sort.
Wrong! Incredibly, the football centres have since witnessed countless number of violent scenes – some resulting in fatalities and serious injuries.
In certain situations, referees are attacked and beaten to pulp – apparently for perceived biased officiating; players and their officials have not also been spared the hooligans in the heat of such violence.
In a desperate bid to bring the harrowing situation under control, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has over the years instituted measures like banning, suspending and currently demoting referees whose action on the pitch could potentially trigger mayhem or bring the game into disrepute. Great move, but some of these match officials still do not appear bothered by the severe sanctions.
Indeed, the FA is doing its damnedest to bring some sanity into the game, but they would have to do more with regard to ‘caging’ miscreants who are happy taking the law into the their own hands.
The police have also not taken any lessons from the Accra incident. Only last year, a police officer shot rubber bullets into an angry crowd at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi – during a premiership game between Kotoko and Berekum Chelsea, injuring one of the fans in the eye.
In marking the 20th anniversary of the May 9 Disaster last Sunday, Minister of Youth and Sports (MoYS), Mustapha Ussif, said that the greatest tribute Ghanaians could offer the departed ones was to ensure such tragedy was not repeated – entreating fans to be disciplined when at match venues.
There has been similar admonitions from past sports ministers and FA presidents, but nothing seemed to have changed really.
Is it not dumbfounding that even on the day that the nation was marking this heavy-hearted anniversary, there was a spate of violence at the a premiership game between Ebusua Dwarfs and Legon Cities at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium? The match had to end abruptly because the referee claimed he did not feel safe continuing the game, owing to threats from home fans.
Clearly, it tells you that we are missing it. Admonitions will not fix it; weeks of prayer and fasting would not either. We know what to do to bring the situation under some control, but we all seem to be playing the ostrich.
Our football officials and especially club administrators know where these hooligans are. And, we all know that sometimes, they engage them to do the ‘dirty’ jobs for them at match venues and assure them of maximum protection.
It is the reason you find these miscreants walking scot-free and threatening more mayhem – barely 24 hours after they had been picked up at the stadium for rowdyism.
A police constable, who pleaded anonymity, told this writer how his boss ordered him in February, this year, to release three suspects involved in stadium violence at the Nduom Sports Stadium in Elmina. There are many others.
In any serious jurisdiction, those home fans – who allegedly stormed the field to attack referee Eric Owusu Bempah after their team slumped 1-2 to Medeama SC in a premiership tie, would have been charged to face the full rigours of the law. But this is Ghana where we can talk the whole day about hooliganism and its effect on football development, yet do little to stop the carnage.
We do not need anybody to remind us that this so-called fight against hooliganism or stadium violence will continue to boomerang in our faces until we decide to face it head-on.
The pretence appears to be too much – and that is where the problem lies!
PlainTalk with JOHN VIGAH
Ghana goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi says the Black Stars are very ready and focused on teamwork as they wrap up preparations in Virginia ahead of their 2026 FIFA World Cup opener against Panama on Tuesday.
The St. Gallen shot-stopper, who is set to represent Ghana at his second successive FIFA World Cup, shared his thoughts with ghanafa.org from the team’s training base at the D.C. United training ground.
Here is what he had to say:
On preparations so far It’s been a great experience. You can see all the guys are very ready and we’ve trained very well. We’ve given our best and we’re looking forward to this moment.
On Coach Carlos Queiroz He’s a very experienced coach. He has a lot of information. We just have to take the good information he gives us and try to make use of it. The expectation is teamwork. We’re going to fight to the end. We’re going to give it all and we hope that we’ll make Ghanaians proud.
On the group I think it’s really a good group. We’re all together. We fight for each other. You can see there’s really positive vibes each and every time. This is what we like and this is what we want to keep up. We want to take this positive energy into the games. We hope that we can have a very good World Cup.
On playing at another World Cup As a kid, everyone dreams of playing on this big platform. For me, it’s actually a big dream because you get to face big players. You get the atmosphere, a lot of people in the stadium, the support, the love. It’s really a good experience for me and I’m really looking forward to it. I think it comes down to dedication to the game.
On players’ mindset They have to have a positive mindset because it gets to a point when things aren’t going well. I think that’s when we need this winning mentality and winning spirit. I think they just need this to help the team achieve better goals.
On nerves ahead of the first match Nervous? I don’t think that’s the word because I feel there’s good team spirit. This shows that everyone is ready and everyone is looking forward to it. Like I said, it’s a dream to be here so everyone is ready to live it.
On the strength of the team The strength is fighting for each other and being there as a team. Playing as a team and not just as individuals. The strength is you can see everyone is fighting for each other. We support each other and we help each other by encouraging the young ones to keep going and to always give their best. These are moments that happen in football where you have bad moments and sometimes you don’t qualify. For us, the biggest moment is now.
On previous tournaments We put whatever has happened behind us and we try to focus on this World Cup. Hopefully, we can make very good use of it. For me, it’s not about the names. Everything depends on us. We focus on ourselves and, like I said, we’re giving ourselves good energy. We train well and this is what we’re really focused on.
On approach to Ghana’s group matches We’re just going to take it game by game. Hopefully, we analyse it and see how it goes. We know it hasn’t been easy in the past days, but we’re just going to give our all. We’re asking for their support and their prayers, like always. They should also stay positive. Hopefully, we’re going to make them proud.
Sports
S-Inkoom Football Academy eyes Division Two promotion, European opportunities for young talents
Former Ghana Black Stars and FC Basel defender, Samuel Inkoom, has expressed confidence in the future of Ghanaian football as his S-Inkoom Football Academy continues to nurture young talents and create pathways to professional football both locally and abroad.
Speaking after his academy’s successful qualification for the Middle League, Inkoom praised the commitment and discipline of his players, describing their progress as a testament to hard work and dedication.
“First of all, I give thanks to God. These kids mean a lot to me. The most important thing is that they are learning and moving in the right direction,” he said.
According to him, the academy’s immediate target is to secure promotion to Division Two when the team competes in the Middle League this week.
“We are playing on Wednesday and we are hoping for the best. If they perform the same way they did today, they can qualify for Division Two,” he stated.
Inkoom revealed that the academy’s broader objective extends beyond winning matches, focusing instead on transforming the lives of talented young footballers, many of whom come from underprivileged backgrounds.
“Some of these boys come from families that struggle to provide even basic necessities. I tell them that money may not be there today, but if they remain focused, success will come tomorrow,” he explained.
The former Ghana international also disclosed that several academy players are attracting interest from clubs in Europe.
He said three players who recently underwent trials had been invited back to complete permanent transfers later this month, while four additional players are expected to travel abroad soon.
“When I see these opportunities for the boys, it makes me happy. It shows that we are doing something right,” he noted.
He appealed to corporate organisations and individuals to support the academy’s efforts in developing future national team players.
“If corporate bodies can come on board and support us, the door is open. This project is for Ghana. Together, we can bring out these talents and help build a stronger national team,” he said.
The academy currently has more than 80 players within its development system, providing a steady pipeline of talent to replace players who progress to opportunities abroad.
“We have about 81 players in our system. We are giving everyone a chance because football is about opportunities and timing. New talents are always emerging,” Inkoom added.
Captain Samuel Owusu also expressed confidence in the team’s readiness for the upcoming Division Two qualifiers, stating that the players had quickly shifted their focus after learning of their qualification.
“We were surprised at first, but now we are fully prepared mentally and physically for the challenge ahead,” he said.
Midfielder Elijah echoed the optimism within the camp, indicating that the squad was determined to prove itself in the next stage of competition.
The academy’s management further revealed plans to organise youth tournaments involving international scouts and representatives from leading European clubs, creating additional exposure opportunities for young Ghanaian footballers.
With preparations intensifying ahead of Wednesday’s crucial fixtures, the S-Inkoom Football Academy remains hopeful of achieving promotion while continuing its mission of producing the next generation of football stars for Ghana and beyond.
By Enoch Ntiamoah Siaw
