London, UK, 8 September 2005 - As has recently been reported in the British, Dutch and Ghanaian print and on-line media, the planned transfer of former Ajax midfielder Anthony Obodai to the English football club Luton Town has fallen through at the last minute.

Luton boss Mike Newel was quoted to be saying: "His wife was also getting involved and we were told he had a domestic problem but that it would all be sorted out soon. We were going to sign him, but I smelt a rat though - we can't be having someone's missus (wife) controlling what happens at the football club so it won't be going any farther.?

Desiree Obodai, the British wife of the 23-year-old Ghanaian football player, confirms that she did have an influence on the events and did refuse to sign documents that would have enabled Anthony Obodai to obtain a visa for the UK and ultimately to complete the transfer to Luton Town FC. However, she had valid reasons for this:

After she had been living with Anthony Obodai in Amsterdam for about one year, Ms Obodai returned to the UK to be closer to friends and family and to have their baby. She also wanted to escape her husband?s violent outbursts (in December 2004 she reported him for an incident of physical assault) hoping time apart would improve the situation.

With Ajax on their summer break Anthony Obodai followed her the next day and stayed with her, and the couple married on 25 June 2005.

Anthony Obodai briefly returned to Amsterdam on 5 July and then came back to the UK on 19 July for the birth of their baby.

On 23 July 2005, just four days after their daughter?s birth, Anthony Obodai assaulted Desiree Obodai again and she filed charges against him. Obodai who now has an outstanding court case pending and has been told not to come near his wife, returned to the Netherlands.

Then, on 17 August 2005, Anthony Obodai, after cancelling his contract with Ajax without his wife?s knowledge, arrived back in the UK. The night before he called her and asked her for their marriage certificate and for a passport photograph of her (and then later her actual passport). Desiree Obodai did not refuse the marriage certificate but denied him her passport or a passport photograph. This is when Anthony Obodai?s agent Charles Colimore became involved. Desiree Obodai says: ?Charles Colimore knew about the assault charges and the court case; he was the one who was trying to get Anthony out on bail. The documents I was asked to sign stated that Anthony would be living together with myself and our daughter in the UK as a family unit. This would have been a lie, and I therefore refused to sign the papers. Charles said I should sign them as this would be good for me: Anthony would earn more money in the UK and I would get the child support and maintenance. I still refused as I would have been signing something that was wrong.?

Anthony Obodai has now signed a two-year contract with Sparta Rotterdam.

For further information please contact:

Ilka Schlockermann
FIRE MEDIA UK
M: + 44 (0)79 3206 6624
E: ilka@firemediauk.com | ilka@gotadsl.co.uk
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