Black Stars management committee member, Alhaji Abdul Karim Grusah, has hit out at some sports journalists, implicitly labelling them as weed smokers.

Grusah's description follows a report that Black Stars management team members were paid $100,000 each in lieu of appearance fees for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

When asked if the members were paid an appearance fee, he offered a rhetorical response before launching an attack on journalists. He opined that being paid the said sum wouldn't have amounted to a crime because they also risked their lives travelling to Qatar.

"Is it a crime? If we took the money, is it a crime? Didn't I risk my life by boarding the plane? Did I risk my life or not? Those who are talking were they there when we got beaten in Nigeria? It's some journalists who are on weed but now they can talk because God has helped them. We know them," he told Akoma FM.

Grusah, without confirming or denying receipt of the rumoured $100,000 appearance fee, said they deserve the fee if it was paid at all.

"If any Ghanaian says $100,000 is not any money, that person is a thief. We deserve it...We left our jobs and went. It's not every day you will get 100,000 but sometimes when things are okay you will get more than that. But if it's a crime they should let us know it is wrong. They should tell us it's a crime then we will return the money," he added.

Ghana was eliminated from the tournament after finishing last in Group H.

The country spent slightly more than $8 million in the group stage, according to the budget presented by Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif, with the bulk of the money spent on appearance fees.

The appearance fee for the technical team and the 26-man squad was $100,000 each.

EE/SARA