The Ghana Amputee Soccer team, the current African Champions has appealed to the Chief Executive of the Sports Council to ensure that the council pays them the bonuses for playing and winning the Amputees African Cup of Nations.

The team went to Sierra Leone in February this year with the support of the C.E.O of Danlez Company, Mr. Daniel Arhin to play the Amputees African Cup of Nations and won the trophy for Ghana.

The captain of the team, Joseph Amu said the Sports Council has since refused to pay the team the allowance due them and rejected the trophy with the excuse that the team did not go in the name of the country but went as a club.

He said the team was supposed to have been sponsored by the nation like the other national teams, but were denied that right and even though someone sponsored them they deemed it necessary to present the cup to the country.

"We are also human beings with capabilities like the players of the Black Stars, Starlets and Black Meteors and that is why we must also be given equal opportunities and in our quest to take the nation to another level in amputee soccer", he added.

Captain Amu said the team has also been denied the amount of money (per diem) due them for representing in the Amputee World Cup in Turkey.

The team went to Turkey for the Amputees World Cup this month and too late and had to return because three matches had been played in their absence.

The three teams, which were Turkey, England and Liberia were awarded three goals and points each because their opponent, Ghana did not turn up for the match.

The captain said the embassy delayed the issuing of the visas and so the team could not set off to Turkey on the scheduled date and had to arrive late only to be made to return since the teams they were supposed to play had already been awarded three goals and points.

According to Amu, because Ghana was the African champions so many countries were afraid to play with the team and so the countries were happy Ghana was out of the World Championship.

He blamed their predicament on the Amputees Secretary at the Sports Council and petitioned the Council to change the secretary since he is not working in the interest of the team.

But the Public Relations Officer (P.R.O) of the Sports Council, Mr. Amid Issaka said the Amputees did not notify the Council about the African Cup of Nations but went to Sierra Leone on their own.

He said it only came to the notice of the council when the team won the trophy and the council had to meet them at the Airport.

"Under normal circumstances the Sports Council is supposed to budget for their transportation, food and everything but because the Council was not informed we couldn't do anything", he said.