Audio Attachment:Listen to Randy Abbey, Spokesperson for the Ghana Football Association (GFA). |
Even before the friendly hostilities between the Black Stars of Ghana and their Angola counterparts is enacted in the Quarter-finals of the Orange 2010 Angola Africa Cup of Nations, security operatives in the host nation are hard at work trying to instill the fear of God in their opponents.
Peacefmonline.com can confirm that a Ghanaian journalist, Fiifi Tackie, an employee of Radio Gold, a private radio station based in Accra, has been brutally assaulted by Angolan state security officials, in the full glare of officials.
The Angolans are hosting the 27th African Nations Cup tournament and as such, they will have the crowd behind them at the beautiful 11th November Stadium in Luanda, but it seems the task before them is daunting, as is evidenced in the off-the-pitch tactics they have embarked on.
According to Steve Ansah Bekoe a.k.a �Starboy�, Peacefm and Hellofm�s reporter in Angola, Fiifi and some other Ghanaian journalists were just about to use Le President Meridien hotel�s lift to a conference room, where the management team of the Black Stars were scheduled to hold a press conference, when they were accosted by the police.
Despite having their accreditation cards on them, the Angolan police refused to allow them entry. And even as their vain protests continued, the Angolan police became violent and started shoving and physically manhandling them. The other journalists, fearful of what was likely to ensue, took to their heels when the opportunity presented itself, but the Radio Gold reporter was unlucky and was pummeled beyond measure.
"GFA Reacts"
Meanwhile, at a hurriedly arranged press conference organized by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) in Luanda, Spokesperson for the GFA, Randy Abbey, condemned the incident in no uncertain terms. According to Mr. Abbey, the GFA deploys the communist inferior tactics being employed by the host nation even before the kickoff on Sunday. He enumerated other acts of intimidation exhibited by the host nation.
�Basically this is not the only issue we have against the Angolans. We have issues with the Angolan Police�they�ve set-up a 24 hour surveillance unit transmitting live from our hotel with the use of an OB (Outside Broadcast) van�When we protested, they presented a different story and even went to extent of accusing us of assaulting their policemen�.We find that very unfortunate�.The other issue has to do with Obour (one of Ghana�s leading supporters who usually paints himself in the national colours). He was beaten up and his private organ allegedly pulled...As I speak to you now, his medical bill is about 900 dollars�they�ve been couple of occasions where security personnel detailed to provide us protection at training grounds, are found to be either asleep or loitering about, whiles the team is on a bus waiting for them...sometimes for more than 40mins," he lamented.
Samuel Aggrey popularly known as "Obuor" was said to have been attacked by security personnel at the 11th November Sports Stadium in Luanda, after Ghana's lone goal victory over Burkina Faso on Tuesday.
Obour who is famous for painting his skin with the Ghana national colours whilst carrying on his head a pot with raging fire caught the wrath of the Angolan supporters when they suspected him to be the spiritual leader of the team. The attackers of Obour were of the view that the pot on his head with the raging fire had been doing the magic for the Black Stars and the only way to stop him from performing another magic to enable the Black Stars defeat the Angolans was to beat him and break the pot.
The GFA spokesman added that they have lodged an official complaint with the Confederation of African Union (CAF) over the harassment and intimidation tactics that Angolans are employing.
�We�ve compiled all these and lodged a formal complaint with CAF�then this issue (assault of a journalist) took place".
�Football has come of age�these incidents shouldn�t occur in 2010, perhaps in the 80s it would be understandable. This is disgraceful; we�re just hoping that things will improve. But if it�s because they are dreading the possibility of elimination, then they better come again because we intend to defeat them and they can assault us however much they like,� he stated.
He was however, of the view that these acts of intimidation will not have any effects on the psyche of the playing body.
"Psychologically this will not affect the team�that is why the leaders of the team have decided to take up this pressure and stress and allow the players to relax and focus on the match itself�if it�s a new form of tactics, then they better think of breaking our legs as well,� he added.
Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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