Medeama, colts football our focus now, not Black Stars – Gold Fields

Executive Vice President and Head of Gold Fields West Africa, Alfred Baku has disclosed that the firm’s immediate commitment is to help position Medeama as a global football brand.

According to Alfred Baku, Gold Fields is now focused on the Tarkwa-based club as well as the development of colts football in their area of operation.

At the apex of the Black Stars success in the early 2000s, Gold Fields was the team’s headline sponsors.

The union ended in 2011 after Gold Fields decided not to renew their five-year sponsorship which saw them pump over $15million into the team.

Speaking to reporters at a ceremony to announce their sponsorship deal with Medeama, Alfred Baku failed to rule out a reunion of the two brands in future.

He, however, clarified that the current focus on the firm is to develop colts football and Medeama Sporting Club.

“We supported with $15million for the five years we were with them. The investment helped because it qualified them to the World Cup for the first time and four years later, they also qualified for the one in South Africa.

“When we were with them, we knew other companies were knocking on the doors of the GFA so after five years we decided to allow other companies to take over”.

“It is not in our current plans to sponsor the Black Stars. We want to focus on Medeama and colts clubs within our catchment area. We believe that is how we can help unearth football talents.”

The $300,000 sponsorship deal with Medeama covers salaries of players, managers, medicals, accommodation, feeding and logistics for the Yellow and Mauves over the next football season.