Sports Features of Wednesday, 29 August 2012

Source: Daniel Oduro

Women’s football deserve better

The news that Ghana’s Black Princesses have crashed out of the ongoing U-20 world cup in Japan is surely not new to you our dear readers because we have kept you abreast with developments in the camp of the team.

However, it is the approach and the lackadaisical attitude with which we treat women’s football that is up for discussion today.

Before their last group game against China earlier this week, the Black Princesses were already out of the tournament following two successive defeats to USA and Germany in the group stage of the championship.

It was always going to be a difficult tournament for the Princesses and it certainly required a lot to go past the group phase of the tournament but it is by no means an excuse to treat the girls and the technical team of the Princesses the way we did if reports are to be believed.

Reports say that the technical team of the Black Princesses has not been paid for the last 10 months. There have been allegations that even the girls have not been paid some bonuses and camping allowances.

It was widely reported in the media that even after the tournament had started, the Black Princesses had not received kits they were supposed to wear during the competition. It may appear a small matter but it goes a long way to demotivate players ahead of a major tournament like the world cup.

We pride ourselves in being a soccer loving people but who says that being a soccer loving nation begins and ends with the Black Stars?

The GFA officials must be told in plain language that their duties are not limited to men’s football and the senior national team for that matter. Why is it so difficult to pay a little more attention to women’s football? If for nothing at all the Black Queens represented Ghana at the World Cup long before the Black Stars appeared on that stage.

The women’s game cannot be compared to the men’s game: true, but the women’s game surely deserves better.

If we do not want to make a good impression with the women’s game then its better we stop participating all together.

Anyways kudos to the Falconets of Nigeria for making Africa proud. Certainly there is hope