August 27, 2019
By Sahr Morris Jnr
A contingent of 18 players and five officials of the national deaf football team, the Black Wonders will leave for Sierra Leone on Wednesday for an African Deaf football championship.
The team will travel by road due to the failure to get financial support to secure tickets.
Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Ghana Deaf Football Association (GDFA), Ransford Lartey told the Times Sports in a chat yesterday that the team will leave on Wednesday for the journey expected to last four days.
“It will take a huge toll on our players so we want to leave early and get some rest days for the players. It’s important they feel fresh for the tourney.”
The competition will kick start on September 3 with 10 countries having confirmed their participation as of press time yesterday.
He said buses for the trip were given to the GDFA by a sympathiser who wants to remain anonymous at a discounted rate of GH¢2,000 each.
Despite that, he said the GDFA will have to bear the cost of fuel and pay drivers, adding that, allowances and other financial demands are yet to be sorted out.
He therefore called on organisations and individuals to support the team’s trip for the championship which is expected to prepare them for the World Cup in Korea.
“Our original budget was around US$37,000. That would have catered for plane fares and other expenditure but having failed to raise that, we want to appeal to public spirited individuals and organisations, especially the petroleum companies to come to our aid.”