Asante Kotoko player, Richmond Lamptey has opened up about how he had to deal with the pain of getting banned by the Ghana Football Association which made him nearly give up on playing football.

According to Lamptey, his ban made him go through excruciating pain which affected his performance on the pitch and made his family very worried about his football career.

The former Inter Allies noted in an interview with Kotoko that he contemplated quitting football because he lacked inspiration.

“It was painful especially when you’ve not done anything and you’ve been wrongly accused. I haven’t spoken about it ever since the issue came. When I look at how my mum and father went through pain… it affected my game.

“Sometimes you go on social media and the comment from someone can affect you because we are all humans. I even had the thought of quitting football because it wasn’t easy. All I can say is thank you to God and the management of Kotoko for sending the case to CAS,” Lamptey said.

“I remember we had a game with Olympics at Accra Sports Stadium, I wasn’t okay but I still had to play. I felt within me that I was not okay and Ogum saw it. The fans gave me a standing ovation when I was leaving the pitch and it cheered me, so I thank them too,” he said.

Richmond Lamptey and 7 other players of his former club, Inter Allies were banned 30 months by the GFA for their involvement in a match manipulation game that involved Inter Allies, and Ashantigold SC.

The said manipulated match saw Ashantigold thrash Inter Allies 7-0 at the Obuasi Len Clay Stadium in a matchday 34 fixture of the 2020/21 Ghana Premier League.

However, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to overturned the GFA’s decision to ban the players.

The GFA was instructed by CAS to compensate Richmond Lamptey along with other players CHF3,000 ($3,444) each.

CAS also annulled all the sanctions imposed on the players of Ashanti Gold and Inter Allies who were punished over the alleged match-fixing.

Watch video below from 6th minute



JNA/KPE