Ghana’s Hor qualifies to 100m final in 2018 Commonwealth games

The youngster who won the heat one, has defied the odds and is currently among the finalists and becomes the country’s only hope currently to win a medal

Former T.I AMASS sprinter Hor Halutie has qualified to the final of the Women’s 100 metres race in the 2018 Commonwealth Games holding in Australia on Sunday.

Hor, 19, although, failed to pick the automatic qualification in the semifinals, she was however selected as one of the two fastest losers with a time of 11:46sec, one second below the time she made to qualify to the semis.

AshesGyamera.com understands that the final race has been scheduled for Monday morning at exactly 11h50 GMT.

In other related news, Hor’s countrymen Gemma Acheampong and Flings Owusu Agyapong, couldn’t progress to the final. Acheampong placed 6th in the semifinals 1, while Agyapong also finished the semifinals two sixth following a poor start to the race.

They have expressed their support behind Hor to at least pick a medal, and make Ghana loud and proud despite the stiffer oppositions she is bound to face in the final. They will be in the stands at the stadium, to throw their weight behind the youngster as she hopes to make history.

Source: AshesGyamera.com

 

Akufo-Addo needs ‘Obinim sticker’ before he can deliver to Ghanaians, says Mahama

The former president has jokingly thrown a shade at Nana Akufo-Addo after insisting that he needs divine intervention in order to meet his expectations

Former President John Mahama has mocked what he says is the “super-incompetence” of the Akufo-Addo government saying they need an ‘Obinim sticker’ to perform.

The ‘Obinim sticker’ challenge is the latest craze on social media with many Ghanaians joking around it. The sticker stories mock the supernatural claims of controversial miracle preacher Daniel Obinim. The challenge makes fun of the claims of Obinim by creating and attributing almost impossible occurrences to the inherent powers of the sticker, which is sold to followers of Obinim.

Addressing members of the NDC in Wa in the Upper West region Saturday, Mr. Mahama said even though the NPP appears incompetent in government, the umbrella family will have to work hard to win the 2020 elections.

“You do not win an election on the weakness of your opponent. You win an election because the electorate have confidence in you. And so even though NPP is proving super incompetent, we cannot sit and relax and say because they are super incompetent we are going to win the next election. So we are going to work hard to win.

Source: Starrfmonline.com

Balotelli reveals why he’s not playing for Italy anymore, says because he was born BLACK

The Italian-born of Ghanaian descent believes he has been constantly overlooked by the Italy national team handlers because of his skin colour and race

Nice striker Mario ‘Bawuah’ Balotelli has insisted that he hasn’t featured for Italy national team since 2014 because of his skin colour, race and previous controversies which surrounded his career.

The former Manchester City and Liverpool forward has been in a blistering form in France this season, scoring 22 goals in all competitions but he is yet to feature for the Azurris after the 2014 Fifa World Cup in Brazil.

And he believes if he was born white, probably he wouldn’t have faced certain issues no matter how difficult he had proved in the past.

“In some stadiums, people chanted ‘There are no black Italians’ at me, yet I am the proof that there are,” he told So Foot in France.

“Even if I am Italian, born and raised in Italy, the law states I only became Italian once I reached the age of 18.

Balotelli and his son Lion

“The law is wrong and that is perhaps why to this day some people see black as the colour of diversity, of inferiority of an error in the middle of a team photograph.

“I think that if I had been white, I’d have had fewer problems. Perhaps I did cause some of my own problems and had the wrong attitude at times, but would I have been forgiven quicker? Absolutely yes,” he added.

Balotelli, however, rejected suggestions that all Italians are racists.

He said: “Italy is not a racist country, but it does have some racists in it. The change is in the hands of the next generation and we must teach our children that everyone is the same, despite apparent different.

He added: “That party isn’t exactly beyond reproach when it comes to racism… That man was used and he didn’t realise it, because that way the Lega can say there are black Italians who see things the way they do.

“The main point is to reiterate that there are black Italians. There are Italians and that’s it. Full stop. That senator can’t be passed off as an exception, otherwise we are back to the beginning again. If he’d been elected for any other party, I would’ve had nothing to say.”

Ashanti Gold new owners slash players winning bonuses in Ghana Premier League

The Miners new owners have decided to reduce the bonuses meant for the players after reviewing the club’s expenditure for the rest of the season

Ashanti Gold new owners headed by Dr.Kwaku Frimpong has arrived at a unanimous decision to reduce the club’s expenditure during matchdays including the winning bonuses of the players, AshesGyamera.com can confirm.

Initially, a home win in the Ghana Premier League fetched the players ¢300 while an away win came with ¢400 as well as a draw was pegged at ¢200, a decision taken since seven years ago.

However, they have been reduced by ¢100 each which has seen an away win now ¢300, home win at ¢200 and a draw at ¢100.

According to AshesGyamera‘s sources, the club’s captain and his deputy were summoned before the club’s top hierarchy ahead of their game against Bechem United last weekend at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi and the news was broke to them to carry it to the rest of the players but they were reluctant and insisted that the bosses must deliver the message themselves.

Although, the players have showed signs of dissatisfaction of the new development, they have resolved to meet the new owners after the crucial game against regional rivals Asante Kotoko on Sunday in the Asante derby.

The supporters, on the other side, are not happy with the power struggle between Dr. Frimpong and his associate Nana Achiken since the two parties are still struggling to come into terms with the percentage each should obtain. Firstly, it was 70 per cent for Dr. Frimpong and 30 per cent for Nana Achiken but the former insists he must take 90 per cent since he has hugely invested following the takeover including the bringing on board of Frederick Acheampong as the club’s new chief executive officer.

Ashanti Gold top the premier league log with 10 points, three points above Wafa, Hearts of Oak and Kotoko who occupy second, third and fourth places respectively.

Gideon Baah lands new contract in Kazakhstan with FC Kairat

 

The former Porcupine Warriors defender who was recently linked to Barcelona will continue his playing career in Kazakhstan

Former Asante Kotoko defender Gideon Baah has completed his move from Major League Soccer side New York Red Bulls to Kazakhstan top-flight outfit FC Kairat-Akademia Almaty, until the middle of the season (August) as a free agent.

He thus becomes the second Ghanaian to have joined the club after Ghana striker Patrick Twumasi who recently plies his trade with Astana in the same country.

The 26-year-old who saw his career in United States coming to an abrupt end following New York’s decision not to hand him a new deal after the expiration of his contract due to constant injury concerns, penned down a four-month deal with Kairat, which is also subjected to renewal based on his performance.

“I think its a very good opportunity for me as a person and as a player.” Baah told Kairat TV.

“I hope to make the most out of it especially in a big club like FC Kairat and hopefully they will get the best out of me as I give them everything I have,” he said.

“FC Kairat is one of the best teams in the world with very good facilities and its a stepping stone in my career, and hope to use this opportunity wisely because to develop as a player you need some opportunities like these,” he added.

With Kairat picking seven points from three games so far, Baah may make his debut appearance for the club on Saturday when they play Akzhayik if only coach Carlos Alos names him in the matchday squad.

Source: AshesGyamera.com

Revealed: How ‘FAKE’ journalists disgraced Ghanaians at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia

Team Ghana flew to the Gold Coast Australia Commonwealth Games full of hope. But the excitement of having a promising campaign seems to have died earlier than expected, in the wake of some depressing reports.

As usual, a Ghanaian Team may have to compensate for medals, with scandals.
The reports of some 50 Ghanaians being deported after trying to gain entry to Australia under the guise of covering the Commonwealth Games as journalists, has hit global news spaces.

The deportees, although in possession of genuine traveling documents, were arrested and detained after they failed to answer the sports-related questions which they should ordinarily be familiar with.
Australian officials suspect misrepresentation, deceit and forgery in acquiring the visas.

Atinka FM’s Saddick Adams, has done a comprehensive compilation of the timeline of events, culminating in the international ingominy;

⦁ The first batch of athletes and officials of Team Ghana departed Accra on the 12th March 2018 for Australia, to begin preparations for the games which started on April 4, 2018
⦁ The team was accompanied by a 49-technical team made of 22 coaches for all 12 disciplines, seven medical teams, four representatives each from the National Sports Authority (NSA) and the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) as well as the heads of the 12 sporting disciplines.

⦁ Team Ghana is led by Mohammed Sahnoon, the Chef de Mission for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, who is also President of the Ghana Cycling Federation (GCF).

⦁ On the 25th of March 2018, Ghana’s contingent at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games finally moved to the Games Village after a successful 10-day pre-games camping. Ghana is officially lodging at the Sunset Apartments at the village.

⦁ Following the arrival of Team Ghana, some Ghanaian sports journalists also entered Australia with their valid accreditation cards. They have been granted due access to the Games Village and Media Centre to facilitate their coverage of the Games

⦁ It must be noted that, for the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, a press accreditation is equivalent to an Australian Visa. Therefore, possessing a media accreditation is enough to grant one an entry into the country in lieu of traditional visas.

⦁ At 3:55pm on 30th March 2018, the Australian Border Force detained a group of Indian nationals claiming to be journalists sent to cover the Commonwealth Games. The group of nine, plus a leader, had arrived at the Brisbane Airport and had begun completing disembarkation forms. During interrogation by the Immigration, the Indian group appeared unscrupulous, raising suspicions of being “not genuine”.

⦁ At 4:20pm, they were all detained pending further questioning. One Rakesh Kumar Sharma, 46, was later arrested and appeared briefly in Brisbane Magistrates Court charged with people smuggling and falsifying documents. It’s alleged Sharma had a valid media credentials but had helped falsify the credentials of the rest of the group to get a visa that would allow them to stay in Australia. At this point, the suspicion had been raised

⦁ At 8:20pm local time, the same day, a contingent of over 18 Ghanaians, posing as journalists arrived at the Brisbane Airport. They were as usual taken through rigorous scrutiny. According to Australian Border Control officials, some of them couldn’t construct simple sentences in English whiles they had arrived without “basic journalism equipment”. 11 of them were detained with the remaining told to supply various forms of documents to authenticate their claims.

⦁ Whiles in detention, another group of 12 Ghanaians, “brandishing” press accreditation arrived with Ethiopia Airlines that had transited Indonesia. All nine appeared to be “fake” journalists and were detained after being probed.

⦁ Meanwhile, the very few Ghanaians who had provided some valid documentations recognizing them as journalists were asked to furnish Border Control with evidence of hotel booking, their recorders and laptops as well as a minimum $20,000 cash that would permit them to pass disembarkation. They failed to provide and thus had their visas cancelled.

⦁ At this point, the Australian Border Control had instructed their service men in known transit countries, especially Singapore to begin denying access to Ghanaian and Indians in possession of valid media accreditation.

⦁ On 31st April 2018, two Ghanaian “journalists” were detained in Singapore for nearly 48 hours. One of them, a known sports presenter in Kumasi was physically assaulted by the Indonesia Immigration before being locked up.

⦁ By 1st April 2018. more than 48 Ghanaians had been arrested at the Brisbane Airport in Australia, whiles a dozen of them were detained at various airports serving as transiting points to Australia.

⦁ By the 2nd of April 2018, over 26 of the Ghanaians had been processed for deportation to Accra.

⦁ The first batch of deportees arrived on the 3rd of April 2018. one of the deportees told Accra-based radio station, Atinka FM, that hed paid money to some officials of the Ghana Olympics Sports Committee and the Ministry of Sports to have their visas processed as journalists for the Games.

⦁ on 4th April 2018, The Ghana Youth & Sports Ministry promised to launch an full-scale investigation into the matter. The Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, Pius Enam Hadzide, however denied the ministry’s alleged involvement in any visa deal.

Fake journalists from India also busted

⦁ The National Sports Authority boss, Robert Sarfo Mensah, also denied his outfits involvement in the scam, promising to co-operate with investigations.

⦁ 4th April 2018, Two Ghana Olympic Committee Officials, Christina Ashley (Gen Secretary of Ghana Volleyball), and Hussein Addy (Gen Secretary of Weightlifting), were sacked for their alleged involvement in the visa connections. The two are currently on their way to Ghana, this writer understands.

⦁ On Thursday April 5, The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), issued a statement, insisting it does not know the reported 50 persons purporting to be Ghanaian journalists who were deported by Australian authorities. The GJA “For that reason, called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the police and other relevant institutions to thoroughly investigate the matter in order to establish the true identities of the deportees for the purposes of redeeming the image of Ghana and Ghanaian journalists,” according to the statement.

Team Ghana at the opening ceremony

⦁ Also, the Minority in Ghana’s Parliament, in a statement, called on President Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo-Addo to, as a matter of urgency, initiate a probe into what they describe as an “embarrassment” to the nation.

⦁ CONFIRMATION: The Australian High Commission in Ghana has confirmed that ‘fake’ journalists who went for the ongoing Commonwealth Games from Ghana are due for deportation. “The Australian Border Force (ABF) has cancelled the visas of several dozen travellers from a variety of countries, including Ghana, who attempted to travel to Australia posing illegitimately as journalists, athletes or officials,” the embassy said in a statement on Thursday.

⦁ According to our sources, the Ghana Immigration Service have as well detained some Ghanaian deportees to assist in investigations.

⦁ Does Ghana have a history of this? YES. Coincidentally, in Australia. In July 2009, The Deaf Football Association of Australia invited the Ghana Deaf Team for an international friendly. Ghana travelled with a team of 39 persons to Australia. But upon their arrival, the Australians realized the Ghanaian “deaf team” could hear. Investigation conducted by the GNA Sports revealed that as many as 25 hearing persons were sent to Australia to represent Ghana instead of the non-hearing persons of the Association.

⦁ The Deaf Football Australia wrote to Ghana expressing shock, disappointed and disgusted. It therefore demanded USD 14,789.00 from Ghana, as refund of their expenses.

The latest deportation of “fake journalists” may open wounds, and as expected, trigger serious governmental action in order to bring an end to the recurring problem.

Source: SportsObama

I’m the deserving FA Cup Player of the Year, Cobbinah hits back at Sadick

The Phobians livewire believes he was truly the people’s favourite following his incredible performance last season during the competition

Hearts of Oak midfielder Winful Kwaku Cobbinah has aimed a dig at Asante Kotoko forward Sadick Adams after the latter suggested that he was robbed of 2017 Ghana FA Cup Player of the Year award on Thursday.

Despite Sadick scoring five goals, including a hat-trick in the final that won Kotoko the title, he was overlooked by the organisers and Cobbinah who featured in four games and provided two assists as well winning two Man of the Match awards, was chosen as a result.

“In the year under review, there is no player whose individual performance can be compared to mine,” Cobbinah told Zylofon FM.

“I have heard the complaints from Saddick Adams but in all honesty, he can not compare his performance to mine. I deserved to win the most valuable player award ahead of him and so he should accept it in good faith,” he added.

Cobbinah has been battling with a knock this season but he scored the Phobians’ first goal of the 2017-18 Ghana Premier League campaign in the 1-1 stalemate with Techiman Eleven Wonders at the Nana Ameyaw Park last month.

 

Source: AshesGyamera.com

 

Sadick Adams ‘disappointed and angry’ after losing FA Cup Player of the Year award to Cobbinah

The striker feels cheated and wants the organisers of the awards ceremony to come out with the criteria they used which made him lose the topmost award to Winful Cobbinah

By: Evans Gyamera-Antwi

Asante Kotoko striker Sadick Adams has expressed his shock following his inability to win the 2017 Ghana FA Cup Player of the Year award, during a ceremony held at the M Plaza Hotel in Accra on Thursday.

The 28-year-old played a major role in the Porcupine Warriors’ run to lift the title, including scoring a hat-trick in the final against rivals Hearts of Oak at the Tamale Sports Stadium.

Sadick Adams and Ahmed Adams celebrating a goal

However, Hearts midfielder Winful Cobbinah was adjudged the Player of the competition, with Sadick being compensated with topscorer award, something he believes was inappropriate.

“I am disappointed in the whole FA Cup awards ceremony held yesterday in Accra. It’s because I don’t know why I didn’t win the Most Valuable Player award [which was given to Winful Cobbinah],” Sadick told Metro FM.

“I don’t know the criteria that organisers used in selecting the best player of the competition under review because I think I deserved it. They must probably explain their criteria for Ghanaians to know,” he added.

Winful Cobbinah receiving the best player award

Sadick who has been out of action since the start of the 2017-18 Ghana Premier League season has revealed that he is nearing full fitness and hopes to join his teammates.

“I have started running and I hope to join my teammates by next week for training,” he said.

“I’m not competing with anyone in the team for glories and only hope that when I return, I will be work to hard to get a place in the first team,” he added.

Asante Kotoko will travel to Len Clay Sports Stadium in Obuasi to face league leaders Ashanti Gold in the Asante derby on Sunday.

Source: AshesGyamera.com

Joseph Esso wins Hearts of Oak Player of the Month

The striker has enjoyed the best of starts any player would relish to have with the Phobians

Hearts of Oak striker Joseph Esso has been voted as the club’s most outstanding performer in the Ghana Premier League for the month of March.

The youngster who joined the Phobians from Ebusua Dwarfs in the January transfer window, won a penalty on his debut against Techiman Eleven Wonders, which helped the club to pick a vital away point on opening day of the season at the Nana Ameyaw Park.

He also netted twice including a stunning goal against table toppers Ashanti Gold despite Hearts ending the game as losers.

Esso shrug off competition from midfielder Malik Akowuah, Daniel Kordie and Benjamin Agyare to annex the prestigious accolade.

He amassed an incredible 64 per cent of the total votes casted by the supporters on social media (Twitter) while Akowuah and Agyare picked 25 per cent and six per cent respectively, with Kordie completing the list with five per cent.

Esso’s goal against Ashanti Gold was also voted the club’s best goal of the Month by the supporters, making it two awards.

Hearts currently sit third on the log with seven points, three points behind Ashanti Gold.

Winful Cobbinah wins FA Cup Player of the Year

 

The 26-year-old was adjudged the most valuable player of the year under review in the oldest cup competition in the country, following his exploits with the Phobians

Hearts of Oak midfielder Winful Cobbinah has been adjudged the best player of the 2016-17 Ghana FA Cup campaign despite his side’s inability to lift the trophy during an awards ceremony held on Thursday at the M Plaza Hotel in Accra.

The skillful midfielder picked the award ahead of Asante Kotoko striker Sadick Adams and Isaac Amoah of Amidaus Professionals fame following his blistering form.

Meanwhile, former Kotoko coach Steve Polack who was sacked after the club’s failure to progress in The Caf Confederation Cup was named the best manager of the season while Sadick picked the goal king together with Raphael Ocloo of Okyeman Planners.

Full list of winners:

Best Player of the Year

Winful Cobbinah (Hearts of Oak)

Coach of the Year

Steve Polack

Defender of the Year

Ibrahim Yaro (Medeama)

Goal of the Year

Isaac Amoah (Amidaus Professionals)

 

Most Promising player of the Year

David Abagna (Wa All Stars)

Topscorers of the season

Sadick Adams (Asante Kotoko) & Raphael Ocoloo (Okyeman Planners)

Fair Play Team of the Year

Medeama

Supporters Group of the Year

Hearts of Oak fans

Referee of the Year

Awal Mohammed

Assistant referee of the Year

Kennedy Sarpong Adade

Match Commissioner of the Year

Alhaji Abdul Ganiu Lawal

Most Promising Referee

Isaac Akoto