The management of African football is in yet another financial crisis after it came to light that Ghana’s Women team prior to the recently concluded Africa Cup of Nations, were not fully catered for. It emerged that foreign based players of the senior National team paid for their own air tickets in order to join the camp in preparation for the continent’s prestigious championship.
Black Queens player, Florence Dadson disclosed in an interview to Adehye FM, a Kumasi-based station, that international players used their own personal money to purchase tickets to play in Cameroon, the host nation for this year’s Women Africa Cup of Nations.
“We were left in between the FA and the Ministry and tossed. We (the foreign-based players) had to pay for our own airfare tickets.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”I don’t think it is guaranteed they are going to pay the money back to us but if they pay it, fine,”[/perfectpullquote]
said Dadson.
In addition, Ghana Football Association (GFA) and Sports Ministry still owe the team outstanding bonuses.
The men’s team faced the same dilemma when Andre Ayew funded travel plans for his teammates to travel for an AFCON Qualifiers match.
The Federation has been under consistent pressure to utilize more locally-based players in place of those playing outside Ghana. In August, Sports Minister, Nii Lante Vanderpuye, criticized the management of Black Stars calling it “lazy” for not fielding a fully locally-based team against Rwanda.
A late mandate – contrary to FIFA’s notice rule on national team call-up – was then issued, ordering the use of home grown players in the qualifiers.
But for Black Queens, the outcry has for long been a thorn in its quest to bring glory to the nation. There has been a looming resentment over how the women’s team is treated in comparison to their male counterparts.
For Dadson, the chance to play for Ghana in the African Championship stood in doubt, all factors considered. The striker joined the team close to two months into camp because of a pending travel clearance.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”I was waiting for my ticket to fly down but it never came. They kept postponing it every week so I had to buy my own ticket to come,”[/perfectpullquote]
Dadson in an earlier interview with GHANAsoccernet.com.
The Chicago-based player who attributed her decision to play, to her coach’s persuasiveness in spite of her intentions to go on holiday in Ghana, added, “Maybe I wouldn’t have joined because I am coming to play for my country and they have to buy me the ticket. They have been doing it for all national teams, so why not us?”
Ghana finished with a Bronze medal despite crashing out in the semi-final to hosts, Cameroon.
Featured Photo: Some of the players felt the pinch of having to cater for their travel expenses to represent Ghana in AFCON (GHANAsoccernet)
