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SAFA to protest against Senegalese referee
The South African Football Association (SAFA) has decided to lodge a formal complaint against the Senegalese referee who handled the crucial 2022 World Cup qualifier against Ghana at the Cape Coast Stadium last Sunday.
Senegalese referee Maguette Ndiaye, awarded a 33rd penalty to Ghana which was converted by Andre Ayew, to give Ghana the chance to progress to the next stage of the 2022 Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) World Cup qualifiers.
In a post-match interview with the media, Mr. Tebogo Motlan,the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SAFA said they were unhappy with the conduct of the match officials hence their decision to protest.
“We want the conduct of the match officials closely investigated by both the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) and FIFA.
“We would be having a press conference soon to announce our next line of action as well as our future plans,” he added.
Ghana beat South Africa by a lone goal to top Group G with a superior goal aggregate and advance to the next stage of the qualifiers.
Both countries were tied at the top with 13 points but Ghana qualified with a superior goal difference. -GNA
Ghana’s First Lady, Lordina Mahama, has made a generous donation to the country’s national female Under-17 and Under-20 teams – Black Maidens and Black Princesses- as they continue preparations for major international assignments.
The donation, made on Friday, May 22, was presented on behalf of the First Lady by the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, at the GFA Technical Centre in Prampram.
The gesture forms part of efforts to motivate and support Ghana’s young female footballers as they prepare to represent the country on the international stage.
The donation included essential food items and toiletries aimed at supporting the welfare and well-being of the players and technical teams.
The donation included cartons of Milo, T-rolls, soft drinks, toiletries, and a range of essential supplies aimed at supporting the welfare of the players, enhancing camp conditions, and easing preparations ahead of their respective assignments.
The Black Maidens are currently engaged in preparations for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers and are set to take on Liberia women’s national under-17 football team in the second-leg encounter in Liberia this weekend.
Meanwhile, the Black Princesses have already secured qualification to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after overcoming Uganda in the qualifiers, extending Ghana’s remarkable record to eight consecutive appearances at the tournament.
The donation by the First Lady was expected to boost morale within both camps while reinforcing national support for the young female footballers who continue to make the country proud.
The prosecution has officially rested its case in The Republic v Solomon Asamoah & Another, the high-profile legal battle commonly referred to as the “Sky Train” case.
The Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem Sai announced the development, praising the state’s team of hard-working prosecutors for successfully anchoring the state’s evidence before the High Court.
The criminal trial centers on the former Chief Executive Officer and the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
The duo stands accused of illegally authorizing and paying out US$2 million to a foreign company without obtaining board directives or other mandatory statutory approvals.
State investigators have confirmed that the disbursed millions cannot be found.
Following the closure of the prosecution’s case, the accused persons moved the court for an opportunity to file a submission of no case.
The presiding judge granted the application, ordering the defense to submit their arguments by June 8.
The outcome of the June 8 filings will decide the fate of the trial:
With this, if the judge finds the defense’s submission convincing, the accused will be acquitted and discharged however, If the judge dismisses the submission, the court will order the accused officials to take the stand and explain why they should not face prison sentences.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
