Ghana’s Football Federation has said it will agree contracts with players for their bonuses ahead of future tournaments to avoid problems over payments.
The move comes after the federation had to fly $3million in cash after the team threatened to boycott play against Portugal in Brazil.
GFA President Kwesi Nyantakyi said Ghana had also used cash ”in order to prevent player revolts” at the 2006 and 2010 World Cups, but would now revert to ”signed agreements” and bank transfers for the bonuses.
The decision follows a series of pay disputes involving African teams at the World Cup in Brazil. Cameroon and Nigeria players also threatened to strike unless they were paid immediately instead of waiting until after the tournament.
The problems were because informal promises made to African players by their federations had been broken before, former Nigeria captain and FIFA technical study group member Sunday Oliseh said.
”You know, promises have been made to them and when it gets to the World Cup some of these promises are not really fulfilled,” Oliseh said.
”It’s one of the reasons why I think we have not won the World Cup yet,” the former midfielder said. ”Because when it comes to quality (players), Africa has (them).”
Ghana’s players didn’t have signed agreements for their bonus payments for Brazil and feared they ultimately wouldn’t see their money.
Following the Ghana problems, FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said that FIFA would now look at becoming involved to ensure teams have bonus agreements in place well before the start of future World Cups.
Source: AFP
