Show commitment to fight against COVID-19 … Sports Callers boss takes NSA, GFA to task
The President of the Sports Callers Association of Ghana, Nkoo Joseph, has tasked the sports authorities to attach a lot more importance to the battle against COVID-19 and not to play games with the fatal pandemic.
He said the fact that seven players of the senior national team, Black Stars, have tested positive to the virus after their recent friendlies in Turkey, “attests to fact that COVID-19 is real.”
In a letter addressed to the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MoYS), the National Sports Authority (NSA) and the Ghana Football Association (GFA), sighted by the Times Sports, Mr Joseph urged the sports authorities to show more commitment to the fight against COVID-19.
He said for now, there was no indication that sports authorities are serious in their readiness to combat the virus ahead of the resumption of the Ghana Premier League (GPL) next month.
“After the President of the Republic had given the go- ahead for the league to kick-start next month, he asked us to follow the necessary protocols but as of now, we have some Premier League clubs who have started training and playing some friendly matches without observing the approved protocols, including COVID-19 testing.”
He wondered why the GFA, which is the mother body, was mute on clubs that have refused to conduct the COVID-19 test.
Mr Joseph also urged the NSA boss, Prof Peter Twumasi, to be resolute in ensuring that fans that troop to its facilities adhere to all the safety protocols
“When government delayed in giving us the go-ahead to resume football, some football administrators played politics with it. Why are such people refusing to also come out to advise the clubs to do the right thing before government frowns on us again?” he queried.
The Sports Callers boss also cautioned the Youth and Sports Ministry not to delay to crack the whip, “if that will save us all from contracting the killer virus.”
Meanwhile, the testing of players, coaching staff and officials of the 18 Premier League clubs began yesterday.
According to the FA, the exercise was part of preparations towards the 2020/21 football season that is expected to commence on November 13, 2020. The first club to undergo the tests is Dawu based Dreams FC.
The testing of players and officials, an alliance between the GFA and the government COVID-19 task force is part of efforts being made to ensure that football was played in the safest possible way.
BY JOHN VIGAH