Chairperson of the Black Queens Management Committee, Gifty Oware-Mensah, says her comments on the team’s unpaid bonuses brouhaha were ‘taken out of context.’
The Berry Ladies FC bankroller has come under immense criticism after she appeared to justify the rationale behind the delay in the payment of the Black Queens bonus.
Nora Hauptle’s side are yet to receive their due bonuses for the last three qualifiers they have played across all competitions amounting to $7,500 per player.
Oware-Mensah, in an interview with Joy Sports, said, “The Ghana Football Association sells brands and products. Our foremost product is the Black Stars, and this spans across the world, not just in Ghana.”
“The male team is the one that dominates the love and affection from the country. I find it quite worrying when I see people try to compare their treatment vis-a-vis the women’s team.
“They say half a loaf is better than none, and the beauty of it is that the first reason anyone should have to wear the national jersey is because of patriotism,” she added.
However, in response to the video which has since gone viral in the wake of Black Queens players threatening to boycott their third round of Olympic Games qualifier against Zambia, the Ghana Football Association Executive Committee Member says her answer to the question was taken out of context.
In her rejoinder, she also affirms having respect for the Queens and brushes aside claims of disrespecting the efforts of the team.
Following reports of unrest among the Black Queens players, Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif and the President of the Ghana Football Association Kurt Okraku paid a visit to the team at their hotel on Wednesday evening together with Oware-Mensah.
Ghana host Zambia in the first leg on Friday, February 23, before travelling for the second leg five days later.
