Hosting Qualifiers Outside Home Embarrassing- Stephen Appiah
Former Black Stars captain, Stephen Appiah, has described as embarrassing Ghana’s sole option of hosting Sudan in another country in October.
According to him, the country needs to make conscious efforts to preserve the little pride it has left in the game.
Appiah in a tweet registered his disapproval after the revocation of the approval by CAF for the Baba Yara Sports Stadium to host Category three matches.
“Playing a qualifier outside Ghana, except in a tournament, is a national embarrassment. We must prioritize hosting our own games and protect our football pride.”
Withdrawal
The CAF in a letter charged Ghana to find a new venue outside the country to host their October home game against Sudan in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers as it noted that the Baba Yara Sports Stadium is not fit for purpose.
The Baba Yara Sports Stadium held a right to host Category 3 international matches, but it was stripped after officials of the Confederation observed the deteriorated and poor state of the venue based in Kumasi.
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) communicated the decision by CAF to the public on Wednesday, September 11, 2024.
CAF as part of the remedy, directed Ghanaian authorities to invest in upgrading the facility to meet international standards.
The letter from CAF recommended that the relevant authorities “conduct a comprehensive assessment of all major international stadiums in Ghana to ensure they comply with CAF technical standards”.
Additionally, CAF advised that the stadium management engage experienced companies immediately to undertake the necessary refurbishment to meet CAF/FIFA standards.
The African football governing body also expressed its commitment to supporting Ghana in bringing its stadiums up to the required standards for hosting CAF/FIFA senior international matches, offering to assist by providing an international pitch consultant with experience in major international competitions, including AFCON, to offer additional expert guidance on the necessary improvements. The cost of this support would be borne by the GFA.
CAF went on to indicate that once the needed renovation works were completed, it would, at the GFA’s request and expense, conduct an independent inspection to reassess the stadium’s suitability for future matches.
