Prominent senior sports journalist Ekow Asmah has attributed negligence to CAF’s recent decision to reject Cape Coast Stadium as the designated venue for Medeama SC and Dreams FC’s CAF Champions League and Confederations Cup group stage matches. Following a thorough inspection by CAF, the governing body declared Cape Coast Stadium unfit for hosting senior international matches. Subsequently, Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi has been designated as the sole approved venue in Ghana for such high-profile games, including CAF inter-club group stage matches.
In response to this setback, Ekow Asmah, in an interview on Happy FM, pointed fingers at the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the National Sports Authority (NSA), holding them accountable for the stadium’s condition. He emphasized the need for responsibility, saying, “The Sports Ministry and NSA should be held accountable for this because they are responsible for the stadium and its facilities. They need to be held accountable.”
Medeama SC, currently in Group D of the competition, is set to face formidable opponents, including reigning champions Al Ahly SC, CR Belouizdad from Algeria, and Young Africans, a strong team from Tanzania. Their upcoming matches will see them playing their first group encounter against Al Ahly in Cairo, followed by hosting Belouizdad at the Baba Yara Stadium for the second round. Subsequent matches against Young Africans and Al Ahly will also be held at home.
The CAF Champions League group stage matches are scheduled to commence on November 25 and 26, 2023, and conclude on March 1 and 2, 2024. The rejection of Cape Coast Stadium as a suitable venue is a significant development that necessitates immediate attention from the responsible authorities to ensure Ghana can continue to host international football competitions.
