Sports News of Friday, 30 October 2015

Source: ghanasoccernet.com

EXPOSED: Britain ambassador is gaffe prone

HE Jon Benjamin HE Jon Benjamin

Britain ambassador to Ghana, who recently attacked the GFA in a bizarre rant, has been exposed as the gaffe prone diplomat who forced to apologise three years ago for a Twitter jibe against Argentina and its defeat in the Falklands war.

Jon Benjamin, a diplomat for more than 28 years, launched an attack on the GFA claiming officials of the federation are interested in living extravagant lives at the expense of laying the foundation to help the development of football in Ghana.

The GFA slammed Benjamin’s comments as cack-handed describing it as ‘at best stupendous ignorance or, at worst, sinister’.

This is not the first time Benjamin has caused controversy with his comments as he was forced out of Chile over some comments he made against Argentina.

Benjamin was so happy about getting a ticket to World Cup qualifying clash between the South American countries in Santiago in 2012 that he went more public than he meant with a posting.

Adopting a Chilean football taunt that goes “Argentines, faggots, you lost the Malvinas because you are idiots”, Benjamin tweeted in Spanish, asking: “Which islands did they take off who and for being what?” But he forgot to make it private.

Twitter criticism of the self-styled “Hammers fan, Londoner at heart, Jewish atheist” included threats of violence and antisemitic responses.

Benjamin deleted his offending tweet and apologised, saying it had been a private tweet and that he had “great affection for my Argentine friends and respect for their team”. The Argentine sports daily Ole said that was no excuse.

The Foreign Office said: “Our ambassador to Chile appears to have inadvertently caused some controversy in a tweet. He has deleted it.”

This is not the first time he has been caught in controversial incidents in Ghana after twice veiling a jab at Ghana President John Mahama which drew some condemnation.

He is also not the friend of the Ghanaian media after lashing out at them as bribe takers.