Prominent Ghanaian business mogul Daniel McKorley, known as McDan, revealed in a recent interview how gambling was hindering his decision to make his company the headline sponsor of the Ghana Premier League.
McDan, who has over the years invested funds in the Accra Great Olympics and owns four astroturf pitches in the capital, Accra, disclosed that he aspires to sponsor the league, but the association with betting is a significant barrier preventing him from doing so.
“The gambling is too much. They are using betting to destroy our football. If not, I would have sponsored it [the Ghana Premier League]. Sometimes they play a ball, and a goalkeeper will go a different way for the ball to score just for someone to win a bet. It’s part of the reason our players cannot go far. We need to sanitize our football,” he said during an interview with Asempa FM on August 14, 2024.
GhanaWeb takes a look at some matches that have denigrated the Ghana Premier League in recent times.
Ashanti Gold vs Inter Allies – July 2021
This match happens to be the mother of all fixed matches in the Ghana Premier League and really denigrated the league, as it was reported by international news hubs like BBC, Goal, and the likes.
Inter Allies lost 7-0 to Ashgold and deliberately scored two own goals. After an investigation by the GFA, the two sides were found guilty and demoted to the lower tier of the Ghana League. Ashgold president Kwaku Frimpong and CEO Emmanuel, his son, were given ten-year bans, while some players were also suspended.
Asante Kotoko vs Hearts of Oak - April 2022
Asante Kotoko beat Hearts of Oak 1-0 in a controversial Ghana Premier League Match Day 24 fixture at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium on Sunday. Referee Kenny Padi awarded a dubious penalty to Asante Kotoko when Hearts of Oak player, Nurudeen Abdul-Aziz, won the ball. Frank Mbella Etouga scored the only goal in the match from the spot in the 16th minute. Following a review by the GFA Match Review Panel, referee Kenny Padi and his assistants were suspended.
Dreams FC vs RTU - June 2024
A Ghana Premier League game today between Dreams FC, linked to GFA President, Kurt Okraku and already relegated RTU ended 8-1 which means Dreams survive relegation
— Austine Woode (@obiMpenaAustine) June 12, 2024
A player of RTU who was on the official team sheet told Kessben FM that it wasn't him because he was in Tamale pic.twitter.com/64m9KhqTiz
Dreams FC, who were facing relegation at the time, beat an already relegated side, Real Tamale United, by 8-1 in an outstanding matchday 28 of the Ghana Premier League 2023/24 season. The match was marred by disgraceful acts of impersonation after RTU used unregistered players for the match after their official players refused to show up due to unpaid wages. After the GFA’s interrogation, RTU was slapped with a hefty fine of GHc100,000 while five RTU officials received a 1-year ban from football-related activities.
Hearts of Oak vs Bechem United - June 2024
Hearts of Oak and Bechem United were suspected to have played a fixed game in the final match of the 2023/24 season. Hearts of Oak needed a win in the match to avoid relegation. Bechem United were leading Hearts of Oak by 2-1 in the first half. Hearts of Oak managed to stage a second-half comeback to beat Bechem 3-2 in the away match and survive relegation. After the match, some football fans called on the GFA Match Review Panel to open an investigation into the alleged match manipulation. Nearly two months after the end of the 2023/24 season, no decision has been made.
JNA/OGB
