Ghana FA threatens Fulham with action over John Paintsil

Nyantakyi is not prepared to give in

Ghana has threatened to report Fulham to Fifa following the reluctance of the English club's manager Roy Hodgson to release defender John Paintsil for the pre-African Cup of Nations camp later this month.

 
Fulham sparked a furious row with the Ghana Football Association yesterday after insisting Paintsil will not be allowed to join the Black Stars for the pre-African Nations Cup camp.

FIFA rules state that all clubs must release their players 14 days before the start of any major international tournament. 

As such the Black Stars will camp in South Africa on 27 December, two full weeks before the tournament kicks off in Angola on 10 January.

But Fulham play their south London derby with Chelsea on December 28, two days after their Boxing Day clash at home against Tottenham. 

Hodgson is adamant he wants to use Pantsil for the two matches before releases the player for the Black Stars camp.

 
But Ghana Football Association boss says they will not bow to the threats from English side insisting they will ask Fifa to intervene.

"I don't think we will allow this to happen. We are looking at the national interest here and I don't think that is negotiable anyway," Ghana FA boss Kwesi Nyantakyi told Ghanasoccernet.com.

 
"If Fulham want to test the law then we are ready to go to Fifa because the Nations Cup is equally important."

 
Should Pantsil play against Chelsea, the Football Association of Ghana can request any points the Cottagers pick up against Carlo Ancelotti's side be forfeited.