Ex-Asante Kotoko and Accra Great Olympics coach, Joseph Emmanuel Sarpong has urged Ghana Premier League clubs to demand compensation from the Ghana Football Association (GFA) after the season was cancelled.
After more than two months of no football due to the outbreak of COVID-19 in Ghana, the GFA’s Executive Council finally took a decision to annul the league season, with uncertainty rising on a date for return.
The league was halted on March 15 at Match day 15 with Aduana Stars on top of the league table.
In an interview with Akoma FM, the veteran head coach believes the inactions of the football governing body in Ghana did not do much to ensure the game is brought back amid the rise of cases of the Coronavirus pandemic.
“The inaction of the Ghana Football Association caused the cancellation of the league,” Sarpong, who has had stints with Asante Kotoko, Aduana Stars, Liberty Professionals, Ebusua Dwarfs and Great Olympics. They [Ghana FA] didn’t put in enough effort to get the league restarted. They didn’t do enough to ensure that the league bounced back. Clubs must make a case for compensation for all the wasted efforts and resources caused by the cancellation of the league.”
Background
The cancellation of the league came two weeks after the GFA revealed it was engaging the Government of Ghana over the possible resumption of football under strict and safe protocols such as playing matches behind closed doors.
Ghana’s ban on all contact sports, including football, remains in effect until at least July 31.