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13.04.2010 Sports News

Me and my big mouthChastise them GFA, PLB

13.04.2010 LISTEN
By

The actions of persons, who seem to have embarked on a diabolical mission by pursuing their selfish interest at the expense of Ghana football, must be condemned and not countenanced.

The recent happenings at the Essipong Stadium, in the Glo Premier league match where the perpetrators, alleged to be fans of the home team, Sekondi Eleven Wise, last Sunday succeeded in cutting the cables of two video-cameras belonging to Optimum Media Prime (OMP), the official TV broadcast holders of the Premier League in the Wise-Ashgold clash at Essipong.

The uncouth behaviour displayed managed to disturb the live telecast on Metro TV and thereby limiting the camera angles of the said match.

While watching the said game on TV with my Editor and a colleague, and not being privy to the technical challenges of OMP's telecast, we observed the deficiency in camera angles and wondered what could be the problem.

My further probe into the matter revealed that some fans of Eleven Wise masterminded the diabolical act of destroying some of the video camera cables to discourage the live telecast of the match in order to carry out their 'nefarious' activities.

This writer's deeper probe indicated that the fans forewarned the TV right holders not to carry the 26th league fixture live, for which reasons only God knows.

The folding up of GBS, which necessitated the coming on board of OMP, who have so far performed creditably (by honouring their part of the contract) has added some value to our local league.

Admittedly, the live telecast of the local league via Super Sport, Sky by OMP, has given our league some mileage, showcasing the talents of our players to the outside world; an initiative which I think is worth supporting.

However, the perpetrators of the crime do not see the importance of telecasting live matches, and rather carried out their uncivilized act by damaging the cables of the TV cameras.

If the culprits of this reckless action have been caught on tape by Metro TV, then the Ghana Football Association (GFA), the Premier League Board (PLB) headed by Messrs Kwesi Nyantakyi and Welbeck Abr-Appiah respectively, should team up to bring them to book, to serve as a deterrent to prospective perpetrators.

I am told the Metro TV crew were threatened in the course of discharging their duty but the intervention of 120 security personnel restored order at the El-Wak stadium.

In deed, this is sad and a bad indicator of the beautiful game that we all cherish. OMP has raised the bar in Ghana football, and they should be encouraged rather than preventing them from capturing scenes that will help develop the game.

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