Officials from Ghana FA allegedly involved in match fixing claims

The shadow of match fixing has once again clouded the beautiful game after officials from Ghana were caught on camera agreeing to take part in international match-fixing.

A joint undercover investigation by British newspaper The Telegraph and Channel 4 program Dispatches revealed damning video evidence of officials from Ghana's Football Association agreeing to take part in international matches that have been fixed by other parties.

Ghana is currently playing in the World cup in Brazil and are currently bottom of their group.

A BBC report however, noted that none of the allegations made were about any of the matches played in the World Cup.

In the video, undercover reporters from The Telegraph and a former FIFA investigator talked to a registered FIFA agent, Christopher Forsythe and Obed Nketiah, a senior figure in the Ghanaian FA, who said they would be able to arrange for presumably corrupt officials to officiate friendly matches played by Ghana.

Perhaps the most explosive allegation in the report was that the president of the Ghanaian FA himself then met with the two undercover investigators to agree to a "contract" for Ghana to play in a fixed match "in return for payment."

The Telegraph alleged that a fee of US$170,000 (S$212,000) will be paid by an investment firm to the Ghanaian FA in return for the right to appoint corrupt match officials to officiate the match.

Ghanaian FA Statement

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) immediately released a statement denying that they signed any sort of corrupt contract.

"Messrs Christopher Antoh Forsythe and Obed Nketiah, last month approached the President of the GFA Mr Kwesi Nyantakyi with a proposal to buy the rights to friendly matches for the Black Stars on behalf of a company they claim to be representing in England."

"They were subsequently asked to submit their proposal for consideration which they did and was duly submitted to the Legal Committee of the GFA for perusal and advice."

"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" said the statement.

They have reported Christopher Forsythe and Obed Nketiah to the Ghana Police SErvice, FIFA and the Confederation of African Football so that they can be investigated over the match fixing claims.

Source: The Telegraph, Ghana Football Association, BBC