Fresh match-fixing claims are set to cast a shadow over the World Cup in the wake of allegations that officials connected to the Ghanaian FA were prepared to rig international friendlies. As part of a joint investigation with Channel 4 ’s Dispatches, the Daily Telegraph filmed a registered FIFA agent, Christopher Forsythe and Obed Nketiah, who sits on the management committee of the Ghana u-20 team, allegedly promising they would be able to arrange a deal to rig international friendlies. The pair allegedly claimed they would be able to “grease the palms” of Ghana officials to ensure the deal was signed and would include a clause allowing them to select the officials for the friendlies, who would then be able to influence the scoreline. Ghanaian FA ssued a statement which said the two men had been reported to the police “for misrepresenting the GFA with an attempt to defraud”.
It confirmed that Forsythe and Nketiah had approached its president, Kwesi Nyantakyi, with a proposal to buy the rights to friendlies for the Black Stars. It claimed that they then turned up without appointment at the Ghanaian pre-World Cup training camp in Miami to discuss their offer, which was submitted to the GFA’s legal committee. “We wish to state that the GFA did not sign the contract as we waited for the response from the legal committee and that the two gentlemen did not make such corrupt offers to the GFA or its officials.” — © Guardian Newspapers Limited, 2014
