The much anticipated joint position paper to be presented at the Ghana Football Association’s emergency meeting did not see the light of day after Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko ultimately decided that it was no longer necessary.
Although the two clubs were well represented at the emergency meeting, they decided against submitting the joint paper position for discussion.
Braimah Akanbi, one of Hearts of Oak;’s representatives, told JoySports that ”though we came up with something, during the meeting, we realized that it was not necessary to do any submission because it was almost (the same). Whatever we had, it was almost the same thing that we met here. It is the same thing that we are all fighting for.”
Vincent Sowah-Odotei and Braimah Akanbi represented Hearts of Oak, while Richard Osei Akoto and Sarfo Duku represented Asante Kotoko.
On Thursday morning, the two clubs released a joint statement, citing the unfortunate passing of Francis Frimong, a Kotoko fan who was fatally stabbed on Sunday, as a watershed moment for the league.
“Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko are urging the adoption of enhanced security protocols and other measures, and are eager to collaborate with all relevant stakeholders, including Government, the GFA, law enforcement agencies, and dedicated supporters. Their shared goal is to ensure that football remains a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone involved.
“The clubs earnestly call upon the Ghana Football Association to take prompt and decisive action on the recommendations outlined in their position paper.”
The announcement sparked excitement among fans of both sides, who viewed this as an opportunity to push through reforms.
Among those expectations, were calls for the two clubs to insist on strict enforcement of the club licensing regulations and a review of the revenue distribution formula for television broadcast and other sponsorship deals for the league.
The previous Star Times deal was shared equally among clubs, with each Premier League club receiving just $30,000 per season.
Although Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko were the teams with the most television coverage, they did not receive any additional money for the number of matches shown.
Sources have told JoySports that windfall from the new television broadcast deal will also be shared equally.
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