The Sad Case Of Two Youth Players

Accra The two players of Obuasi Goldfields Academy, who deserted the team after a football tournament in Italy last week Tuesday and were arrested four days ago, were brought back home today.

The players, 16-year-old Agyemang Adjei, who was adjudged the best goalkeeper of the tournament and Stephen Sekyere a midfielder, were accompanied by Mr George Parretti, the Club's agent at FIFA's headquarters in Zurich. Mr Parretti told newsmen on arrival that the two players disappeared during a reception for the team after the tournament. He said the boys were nowhere to be found after the reception, prompting the team's officials to make a report to the Italian police.

Mr Parretti said police found them ten days later at their hide-out in Naples with some Ghanaians. He said the players, who were very outsanding during the tournament, were on the list of most soccer agents who came to watch the tournament to scout for tallents. "It is unfortunate that they did not bid their time to be signed on properply", he said. According to the players, they were lured by a white man who claimed to be an agent of a top team in France with the help of some Ghanaians.

They said they were first taken to Udinese and later to Naples to prepare to leave for France when they were arrested. The boys who, at first did not know the seriousness of their action, started crying when they were informed they would be handed over to the police. They were met by officials of the club.