SIC Nyemitei SWAG Cup Is Back

2015 Premier League winners, Obuasi AshantiGold and Kumasi Asante Kotoko will be at war on the pitch for this year’s SIC Nyemitei-SWAG Cup match fixed for November 29 at the Kumasi Sports Stadium.

Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) President Kwabena Yeboah, has announced at a packed press briefing in Accra yesterday that the decision to pick the two clubs from the Ashanti Region was based on merit and current performance.

According to him, Kotoko was chosen as being the most successful team in the history of the competition after winning the coveted trophy 13 times out of 19 appearances, while Ashgold has won it four times in addition to being the current Premier League champions.

“We finally chose Kotoko to compete with AshantiGold based on merits and performance. The former remains the most successful team in the history of the competition with AshantiGold being the defending champions,” he expressed.

Nana Yaw Mantey, Corporate Affairs Manager at SIC Insurance Limited said that his outfit had signed an agreement with SWAG to sponsor the competition, played annually since 1972, in honour of the late Henry Plange Nyemitei, a former Chief Patron of SWAG and onetime Deputy Managing Director of SIC.

The late Nyemitei was the second chairman of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) between 1960 and 1966 and a former chairman of Accra Hearts of Oak.

Mr Mantey noted that SIC Insurance, which had sponsored the competition for over three decades, was determined to ensure the revival of the H.P.Nyemitei-SWAG Cup which was last played in 2010 when AshGold beat Accra Hearts of Oak at the Accra Sports Stadium, in fulfilment of the company’s commitment the development of the nation’s passion, football.

“We have a long standing relationship with SWAG to honour H.P. Nyemitei for his efforts in the development of sports in the country,” he said. He announced that a new trophy for the competition, would be unveiled during a press launch in Kumasi in two weeks’ time" he noted.

For the records, Cape Cast Dwarfs were the first the win the SWAG Cup when they beat Hearts of Oak in 1972. Hearts however won it in 1973 when Peter Lamptey won the first goal king title.

Asante Kotoko have won the SWAG cup most with 13 wins from 19 appearances.Since it is prestigious and organised by the Sports journalists, every club in Ghana wants t be part of the SWAG match and it has been an avenue for unveiling unknown players.