Sports News of Monday, 11 November 2019
Source: Graphic.com.gh
2019-11-11
Madam Habiba Atta Forson
The Women’s Football representative on the Executive Council (ExCo) of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Madam Habiba Atta Forson, has pleaded with all stakeholders to give the requisite support to the Black Queens and other female national teams to motivate the players to excel in international tournaments.
She said women’s football held great potential to excel and win honours for Ghana at the international level but lack of support had affected the fortunes of the three national teams.
In an interview with the Graphic Sports Online, Madam Atta, the founder of Fabulous Ladies, who is also the first to assume the women’s rep role on the ExCo, said many young ladies abound with much talent in football which, if properly harnessed, could propel Ghana to compete favourably with the elite in football across the globe.
“Sadly, due to inadequate national and corporate support for women’s football in general and the individual players in particular, many talented young ladies with the requisite skills look elsewhere to build their career,” she bemoaned
She said unlike the Black Stars and other male national teams where players were adequately catered for, especially during international tournaments, the female national teams, and the senior team the Black Queens in particular, do not enjoy such support when they are preparing for similar international assignments.
“Over the years, our preparations for international tournaments are nothing to be proud of and this affect our performances. It is for this reason that I am pleading that the Black Queen and other female national teams should be treated like the Black Stars in terms of camping, per diem and winning bonuses.
“We are not asking to be provided with the same per diem and winning bonuses, but they should be given the same attention and support. The players should be made to feel appreciated for their efforts as a way motivating them.
“The difference between our female national teams and that of say, South Africa who have risen so fast in women’s football on the continent, is the way the South Africans have treated and motivated their national teams to do their best,” she explained.
“If the state and corporate bodies offer us a little of the support they provide for our male teams, it will motivate our female teams to excel for them to haul medals for the nation during international tournaments,” she stressed.
