Ghana risks FIFA ban from international soccer

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Ghana is likely to be banned by FIFA and Confederation of African Football (CAF) from international soccer for alleged government interference in the sport administration.

Former president of Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG), Ebo Quansah, has written to FIFA, asking it to investigate the issue.

In a letter to FIFA, CAF, Ghana Football Association (GFA) and the Ghanaian government on September 26, the former SWAG boss claimed that the pursuit by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) to investigate sponsorships acquired by GFA amounted to governmental interference.

He also cited as another form of invasion by the government the alleged request by government operatives to seek the removal of GFA officials from office to be replaced by sympathizers of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) party.

According to Quansah, the pressure went an octave higher after Ghanaian president John Mills returned later last month from Switzerland where he had discussions with the FIFA president and maintained that they had been given the right to investigate the GFA.

"I cannot believe that FIFA would allow the kind of interference that resulted in the leadership of Ghana football being hauled before the Serious Fraud Office," Quansah said in his petition to the sport governing body.

The West African country nearly missed the boat to the commonwealth games in New Delhi, India, as a result of an impasse between government and officials of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC).

FIFA frowns on interference by governments in sport administrations and countries which fall prey to it risks being banned.

FIFA banned Nigeria from international soccer last week over government invasion in that country.

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