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Soccer News of Tuesday, 22 September 2009

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MP mad at sports academy

MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT MAD AT RED BULL SOCCER ACADEMY

Gen Manager and Tech Director Accused of Sleeping with underage workers etc?

AMember of parliament for South Tongu in the Volta Region, Mr. Kwabla Wayome, is outrage by the behavior of officials of Red Bull Academy.

The smooth – talking MP recounted a harrowing story to the Times Sports last Friday about the manner his complementary card was torn into ‘ribbons’ by the academy’s Technical Director, Peter Schaller, a couple of months ago .

He had sent his complimentary card through a pastor friend to Technical Director requesting one talented player to be given the opportunity for a justifier with the academy.

But the upshot was upsetting.

My friend came back and reported that Mr. Schaller had torn up the card in front of him on receiving it, the MP Recalled.

When contacted by Time Sports. Mr. Schaller conceded having committed the act – but insisted he had finished consuming the message “ and there was no need keeping the card.”

But Mr. Wayome spiked that rationalization, describing it as ‘lousy’ “because Mr. Schaller would have responded in a away if he had read it.”

He said he had received a bundle of complaints from the Fievie-Sogakope community about maltreatment of workers and players and squirting racist comments by the Austrian officials of the academy – Messrs HermannKern ( Managing Director ), Schaller and Daniel Heidemann, ( Under-17 trainer ).

So disconcerting were the allegations pouring home that some members of the community, the MP recalled, contemplated a physical assault on Heidemann , believing he was behind the confusion at the academy.

In fact, after conducting some investigations on Heidemann and knowing the kind of person he is, I wrote to the authoritiesfor his working and residence permits application to be turned down to protect him from any imminent attact.

I knew he was not safe I tried my best to calm the people down.” He said, adding “even so, there seem to be some lingering tension in the community”.

The South Tongu MP. Said, most alarming of the allegations leveled against the officials, was that they were sleeping with under -aged girls at the academy.

However, Mr Wayome told the Times Sports he had set up an independence committee to investigate the sins leveled against the Red Bull officials “and if they are found to be culpable, they will face the full rigors of the law.”

Mr. Wayome Regretted that the academy had so far failed to live up to its social responsibility to the people of Fievie- Sogakope.

We agreed and supported the academy to be sited at Fievie-Sogakope to create jobs and hone talents from the region into national stars.

“But the people are all disappointed now because there has been a breach of contract on the part of the current management of the academy”.

He advised potential investors to respect the laws of the country and culture of the people. Much as we welcome investors to come our country , they must be careful not to take us for a ride. Ghanaians are friendly and peace-loving people and nobody should see that as a weakness.

“Investors must not see themselves as superior to others and must go strictly by the laws that govern the land – otherwise, they will suffer the consequences there of, Mr. Wayome cautioned.