Former Minister of Youth and Sports, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, has voiced his displeasure with the Black Stars players from the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, criticising them over financial disagreements.
Ankrah condemned the players for their refusal to participate in training until their bonuses were paid, accusing them of trying to damage the officials’ reputations internationally.
He has called on these players to repay the money to the government, citing their failure to advance past the group stage as a reason for their financial obligations.
“Let’s assume the money will be paid because the nation has never owed players; no matter how long it takes, it will eventually be paid. Why should you insist on not training and even miss two training sessions? Isn’t that sabotage?
“Then they took the money; they should refund the bloody money back to us. When they returned, there were no sanctions or enquiries, so that attitude persisted for seven years,” Ankrah said in Twi during an interview with Oyerepa FM.
Ghana’s national team did not advance past the group stage in the 2014 tournament, securing only one point from three matches.
Tensions rose before the final group game when players demanded $100,000 each in appearance fees, leading to threats of a boycott. This forced the government to arrange a direct flight to Brazil to resolve the issue.
Reports indicated that the main issue was the players’ demand for $100,000 in appearance fees, while the government offered $82,500.
When the players refused to train, the government had to meet their demands and provide cash, resulting in missed training sessions and ultimately, the team’s poor performance.