Kurt Okraku, a former sports journalist and the current President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), has expressed disappointment at the booing of players by some journalists in the mixed zone after Ghana’s draw against Mozambique at the AFCON 2023.
The result meant that Ghana suffered another group stage exit, and videos from the mixed zone showed some journalists jeering at players and some even verbally assaulting them.
Defender Mohammed Salisu challenged journalists to a fight amidst the confusion and disappointment, but Okraku has criticized this behaviour.
“I share the pain of every Ghanaian on the back of our poor performance of our Black Stars at the AFCON,” he said on Wednesday in a Meet the Press in Kumasi.
THE WALK OF SHAME! SALISU GOT INTO A VERBAL FIGHT WITH A JOURNALIST 🇬🇭🙂#AFCON2023 PIC.TWITTER.COM/E7FDNAPZQX
— BORTEY 🇬🇭 (@JOELBORTEY) JANUARY 22, 2024
“I also share in the pain of colleague journalists whose lifespan was cut short due to our early exit.”
However, Okraku emphasised that he does not condone the act of booing the players.
“As journalists, we have been trained to support and report on our national team,” he stated.
“I pray and hope that singular act will never be repeated. That act has now activated the CAF in finding ways of imposing fines on Ghana. It was a bad one!!”
Okraku further urged journalists to behave responsibly and not tarnish Ghana’s image.
“If we behave well, we know! If we don’t behave better, we know!! Don’t let us put Ghana in a bad light,” he said.
