Just for an analogy, if someone works for United Parcel Service (UPS) and it is customary to throw parcel from one person to another to load a truck quickly, and the person, having a bad intention, throws a heavy parcel at another worker and injures him or her, not only is it likely that he/she will lose the job, he/she will likely be sued for damages if it can be established that it was intentional. So it should be because people who want to cause injury to others can come up with inventive ways to hurt others they are bent on hurting if they are not going to be held personally responsible; noting that Hollywood mogul Suge Knight has just been charged with murder for backing his car twice over someone he just had a fight with and claiming that it was an accident.

Naby Yattara assaulted Asamoah Gyan. Asamoah Gyan should have a chance to meet this man in court. Mr. Yattara (not GFA, not Insurance) should be responsible for Mr. Gyan’s medical expenses, loss of income if he has such a loss, and of course the good old pain and suffering. Avram Grant can call for Yattara’s ban all he wants. It will not stop another mean person from hurting another player for whatever reason if he knows he will not be held personally responsible for it. This is an opportunity to make the beautiful game sane. Ghana Football Association should be about the business of finding Asamoah Gyan the finest lawyer they can find.

Fifa has tried the yellow card, the red card and other tools. They have made the game more civil than it used to be when I was growing up. I remember days when a referee will step the distance where a wall should be to try and block a ball in a free-kick, and despite having two linesmen, the wall would move when the referee is not looking. Today, there is foam and a yellow or red card. Thank God, but just like old days, Tunisia just rushed the referee after their game with Equatorial Guinea. Whether deserved or not, people should get it through their heads that beyond some point, they will be responsible for their actions and it should start with this incident.

May God forbid but what if this was a career ending injury for Asamoah Gyan? What would he do, just chalk it up as a career hazard? People’s careers should not end this way. I don’t remember any career ending injury so blatantly caused in a game (there could very well be some that I don’t know of or that I remember at this time) but football authorities should not wait until it happens before doing something about it. Mr. Nyantakyi, it’s on you. Here is your chance to do something to help keep the beautiful game civil.

Tony Pobee-Mensah
tpmensahr@yahoo.com