Ashanti, BA decry favouritism in Queens

THE Ashanti and Brong-Ahafo Women’s Soccer Clubs have petitioned the Minister of Youth and Sports to intervene to end favouritism exhibited by the technical handlers of the Black Queens in the selection of players for national assignments.

According to them, the technical team comprising coaches Oko Aryee, Mike Akpey and Mariam Buckmann always discriminate against players from the two regions.

In a release signed by the Welfare Officer of Ash Town Ladies FC, Mr Olando Osman Eshun, and copied to stakeholders in women’s football in the country, the group accused the Queens handlers of blatant favouritism for Accra-based players.

The release noted that the discrimination against Ashanti and Brong-Ahafo players started when the Queens re-assembled in Winneba after their first-leg clash against the Taranga Lionesses in Dakar, Senegal.

It said the technical bench invited Lydia Ankrah who is currently serving a year’s suspension and Christiana Quainoo, who also did not play a single league match in GASWOC competition.

They further argued that the coaches invited Gloria Obeng to camp and dropped Sunyani-based Florence Adutwumwaa after shifting camp to Kumasi for no apparent reason, while an injured player who was sent to Senegal and was not utilised is still with the team in Kumasi.

The group also alleged that Patience Kpobi, alias Baba Carr, had the privilege to know the official list of the squad ahead of their clash with Senegal because of her intimacy with the team’s welfare officer.

According to the group, this attitude is destroying the talents of players and called for the division of the team into two - south and north zones - with each having a substantive coach.

They called for the setting up of a pool of technical team to select new players from Greater Accra XI and Ashanti/Brong-Ahafo XI after series of trial matches in both Accra and Kumasi, while a new technical team should be appointed to handle the Queens.