Sports
Ease, but with caution
The easing of restrictions over the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic may be coming to many as pleasant news, especially for the 15 non-contact sports disciplines but obviously not for the others; football, chiefly.
Tension and anxiety preceded Sunday’s announcement of the restriction review by the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as individuals and organizations waited for the next move as people get fed up with days, weeks and months of inactivity.
Of the ‘hottest’ breed of athletes yearning to know their fate was footballers and their ‘football people’ who are the worse hit by the pandemic as far as the diseases’ impact on sports was concerned.
But football, an epitome of a team event, was ‘swerved’ and has to wait until June 31 when the current restriction expires.
Sadly or otherwise, a few, branded as non-contact sports, notably athletics, badminton, golf, table tennis, tennis, power lifting, weight lifting, cycling, draughts, para sports (individual non contact para sport), rowing and canoeing, baseball and soft ball, horse racing, squash as well as swimming, got the nod.
A few concerns have, however, been expressed over some of the disciplines labeled as non-contact sports because of their nature, especially with golf and tennis but with a strict adherence of the safety protocols, those concerns can be addressed.
But can the ‘football people’ make any case for themselves considering the challenges and logistical issues they are likely to face?
The response will surely be unenthusiastic and very unconstructive considering their financial plight and would prefer to wait.
Obviously, a typical football game to be played behind closed-doors but aired on television could require close to 100 or more people in the stadium made up of players, technical and management team members of both teams, a few media persons, ball boys, television crew, match officials and other match day staff.
These persons must have undergone mandatory testing to ensure that no infected person gets to the arena while also ensuring that every protocol was observed to the latter.
Sometimes, it seem very simple but figures from the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MoYS) as well as the National Sports Authority (NSA) bring to the fore the heavy toll it will have on the clubs financially.
Clearly, it explains why Alhaji Karim Gruzah and his King Faisal side plus a few of the bottom clubs will be the first to commend government for the decision not to restart football now and ultimately call for the cancellation of the season.
Obviously, an annulment can save their season as they are threatened by relegation.
Yet, the reality of recording almost nothing from the gates but have to spend so much on protocols for a single game makes their claims very indisputable.
Heartily, the call to restart now or not has been a debate among the ‘football people’, sending a clear signal that the decision was for the good of all.
Of course the German Bundesliga has started and within a fortnight, about four games have been cleared.
In another two weeks, the La Liga and English Premier League (EPL) will also be restarted.
Instead of waiting for the June 31 deadline, the FA and stakeholders could be finding ways on how to go about their season when the restriction was partially eased for them.
A fine idea will be to liaise with health authorities to begin mass testing for Premier League and by extension Division One League (DOL) players, referees and their assistants, technical and management team members etc from the second or third week of the month.
In this case, teams can start training few days after the restrictions have been eased for football, otherwise the FA must listen to Aduana Stars skipper Yahaya Mohammed’s call to cancel the season and start afresh in August to synchronise with the European calendar.
By Andrew Nortey
Sports
WAFU B U20: Ghana’s Jerry Afriyie crowned MVP in semi-final win over Cote D’voire
Ghana U20 striker Jerry Afriyie was crowned Man of the Match in the side’s come back 2-1 win over Cote D’voire in the WAFU B U20 Semi-final on Sunday October 27, 2024 in Togo.
The talented striker, who is the leading top scorer with four goals, scored a magnificent spot kick to complete the comeback win for the Black Satellites at the Stade Municipal.
The Black Satellites will be making a return to the AFCON Championship next year after winning the title in 2021 under Abdul Karim Zito.
It was an incredible finish to an afternoon that began badly for Ghana as Konan Loukou gave the Ivorians an early lead before the Ghanaians pulled parity from a deflected corner kick to end the first half, before Jerry Afriyie sealed victory from the spot kick.
The win ensured the Black Satellites qualification to the 2025 U20 Africa Cup of Nations.
The WAFU B U20 Championship serves as the qualification for the 2025 Africa U20 Cup of Nations, with only the finalists going through.
This 2025 U20 AFCON will also serve as the African qualifiers for the 2025 FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile, where the four semi-finalists will qualify automatically.
Sports
Ghana to face rivals Nigeria in epic 2024 WAFU B U20 Final
Ghana and Nigeria will face off in the WAFU B U20 Final after the two West African giants dispatched their respective semi-final opponents in Togo on Sunday October 27, 2024.
The Black Satellites produced a sensational comeback 2-1 win over Cote D’voire in the first semi-final at the Stade Municipal before Nigeria also rallied from behind to beat Niger 3-1 in the second semi-final match.
Ghana and Nigeria will renew their long-standing rivalry in Wednesday’s Final at the Stade de Kégué.
Desmond Ofei’s side will be hoping to go one step further by reclaiming the sub-regional title from defending champions Nigeria.
The WAFU B U20 Championship serves as the qualification for the 2025 Africa U20 Cup of Nations, with only Ghana and Nigeria going through.
This 2025 U20 AFCON will also serve as the African qualifiers for the 2025 FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile, where the four semi-finalists will qualify automatically.