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Soccer News of Friday, 31 October 2003

Source: GNA

Y.A. Ibrahim denies media report

Accra, Oct 31, GNA - Mr Yussif Adam Ibrahim, Chairman of the Executive Council of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has denied media reports of a conspiracy meeting between him and Mr Ben Koufie, Chairman of the GFA which exposed their hard feelings against the take over of the national premier league by the Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA).

The two were reported in a tri-weekly sports paper in Accra to have slammed the GHALCA, Mr Kofi Nsiah, General Secretary of the GFA as being ineffective and that the two had planed to remain at the helm of affairs Ghana football by "every means."

Speaking to the GNA Sports on phone, Mr Ibrahim said the last time he saw Mr Koufie was when they sat in the same plane to Qatar to attend a FIFA congress and his recent return from Gambia two weeks ago. Mr Ibrahim said "we never discussed anything of that nature during the moments we met and I wonder why people could fabricate such a story about us".

According to Mr Ibrahim there was no way he could pass such a negative comment about the GHALCA, "when I have been encouraging them all along to take over the administration of the premier league". Describing the publication as embarrassing to him, Mr Ibrahim dared the Soccer Express, which carried the story to produce a copy of the tape and the venue at which the supposed conversation took place. He said failure on the part of the paper to produce the evidence will compel him to seek every means to clear his name "even if it means seeing ourselves in court to prove my innocence," he threatened.

When the FA chairman was contacted for his comments, he declined even though he would not deny or confirm seeing the publication. "I'm used to such publications and I have nothing to say", the FA capo stressed.

On his part, Mr Kofi Nsiah refused to make any remarks though he was at the receiving end of the supposed "whip" from his 71-year-old boss.

The Soccer Express of their Friday, October 31, in its banner headline reported on an alleged conversation between Mr. Koufie and Mr. Ibrahim on a wide range of issues.

The alleged conversation, according to the paper, prominently featured Mr. Nsiah as been ineffective and only travel happy and criticised the GHALCA on its proposed take over of the national premier league in 2005.