Sports Features of Monday, 20 February 2012

Source: raymond yeboah / www.sportsinghana.com

Are Kotoko the only big club in Ghana?

Professionally and gradually, the Ghanaian league is doing well in all aspect of the department of the game and if one club can boast of its bigness and because of that try to dictate the section of the accepted norm to their own selfish interests, then l am sorry but the Premier League Board (PLB) has problem.

It was agreed by all the 16 Premier League teams that Optimum Media Prime (OMP) led by Metro TV are the official TV right holders for live telecast of our league matches and if today because of factual comments by a sports analyst, Kotoko have written a letter to the PLB not to allow Metro TV to cover their home matches again, then we are doomed as a football nation.

lf Kotoko want fair comment from sports commentators, then the behavior of their teaming supporters must merit that accolade. Where in Egypt, South Africa or even DR Congo have you seen Zamalek, Orlando Pirates or TP Mazembe fans assaulting a TV pundit and damaging their cables because his comment did not favor the home team?

Must sports journalists in this country remain mute on Kotoko issues? Must they say only good things about Kotoko supporters’ behaviour even if it is bad? It is about high time Kotoko realise that they are not the only big club in Ghana who know their right. The fact that you command mass followers doesn't change the football ethics in and around the stadium.

The opinion of a sports journalist can never be infringed upon. Nana Agyemang is always a target because he always tell the fact on the grounds. The media in this nation must rise up and defend their colleagues. Mr. Wano Kese Waka of Happy FM, you are doing great work, keep it up. If it is not about stomach and we people decide to always hit the fact, no club in this country can rise up against sports presenters’ factual comments.

The PLB led by Abrah Appiah must be up and doing about this issue, the problem must be solved amicably between the two factions and if this is done, Kotoko supporters would have no right preventing Metro TV to cover their matches. The authority of the PLB and the DC must be adhered and abided by all the clubs, the rules shouldn't be any respecter to anybody.

If Kotoko supporters still insist they won’t allow the TV right holders to cover their matches, then all the other 15 premier league clubs should also demonstrate to this. The other big clubs like Hearts, Chelsea must also stop Metro TV telecasting their matches because it would be at the disadvantage to them. We all know the live telecast of the matches brings about fairness and away teams always get equal justice from the referees so one could imagine the kind of advantage Kotoko will enjoy if their threat of not allowing live telecast of their matches succeed.

Also, OMP and Metro TV must make sure they collect any penny given to Kotoko to cover their matches because it is part of the agreement that the club involved gets TV rights money and l understand OMP have paid part of such amounts to all the clubs which even Kotoko somehow got bigger because of its size.

We should all abide by the rules and regulation in a society to avoid jungle norms.

A word to the wise………..