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Sports News of Friday, 24 January 2020

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Hearts vs Kotoko clash: Football is not war - Kurt E.S Okraku

GFA President,Kurt E.S Okraku play videoGFA President,Kurt E.S Okraku

President of the Ghana Football Association, Kurt E.S Okraku has advised football fans to desist from any form of hooliganism when they visit the various stadia in the country.

Hooliganism has been a canker in the local games as fans tend to take the law into their own hands at match venues when certain calls from the referee do not go in their favour with the recent one happening at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium when fans decided to throw bottles onto the pitch because they didn't agree with some the referee’s decisions.

One of the games likely to attract similar reactions from the fans is the Sunday Super Clash between Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko, but Kurt in his engagement with the press ahead of the game pleaded with fans to show love to one another irrespective of the match results because football in his words is not a warfare for the stadium to be a war zone.

"It's a day we are preaching two clear messages. We are saying no to hooliganism which is key for everybody here and we are saying that we are going to do everything within our means to bring back the love."

"We are here to entertain ourselves and to show love to one another and to show to the entire Ghanaian football populace that football is not war but can bring people from diverse together and the two teams on Sunday will show the quality we have as Ghanaians"

Also, he applauded a lady in a Kotoko replica jersey who was seen singing the Phobian anthem with the Hearts of Oak fans at the event and to him, that is just how the game is supposed to be.

"Let's all say no to hooliganism and see ourselves as one and I have picked a very good signal from today's singing activities. When Hearts of Oak were singing, I saw one lady in a Kotoko replica singing along with them and that a good sign of love."

"Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko will be fighting for the three points on the pitch but beyond the perimeters of the pitch we are all one people."