Nyantakyi pulls out of Olympics to attend Mills' funeral

Kwesi Nyantakyi will prematurely end his work with FIFA at the Olympics Games in England to attend the funeral of the late Ghana President John Evans Atta Mills.

This comes after FIFA boss Sepp Blatter approved the Ghana Football Association (GFA) chief's request to leave the competition to pay his last respects.

Nyantakyi is working for the world governing body at the Games in England as a Match Commissioner.

The funeral for President Mills, who died last week aged 68, will be held in Accra from 8-10 August.

Nyantakyi, who is a member of the FIFA Olympics Games Organising Committee, was expected to stay on working with FIFA until 13 August.

But he has decided to forfeit the rest of the assignments with FIFA to pay his respects after he approached the world governing body over his wish to attend the funeral of President Mills.

Nyantakyi said Mills had "devoted his life to the cause of Ghana football" and the GFA owed him "a profound debt".

“It is only right that the GFA pays the highest respects to the man who has contributed immensely to Ghana, the Black Stars, Hearts of Oak and Ghana sports in general,” Nyantakyi said.

“Personally he was my teacher and a father figure so I want to be there to support and witness his funeral.”

Meanwhile, Nyantakyi will sign the book of condolence for the late President Mills which has been opened at the Ghana High Commission in London.