The Director-General of the National Sports Authority (NSA) in Ghana, Professor Peter Twumasi, has rejected a report from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) that the Cape Coast Stadium is not fit to host international matches. The report came after Medeama SC, a Ghanaian club that qualified for the CAF Champions League group stage, chose the stadium as their home venue.
According to Prof. Twumasi, CAF had already certified the Cape Coast Stadium and the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi earlier this year for “A” matches, the highest level of international matches. He said he was surprised by the report and questioned when CAF officials came to inspect the facility.
He also accused Medeama SC of not following the proper procedure to use the stadium, saying they did not write to the NSA or sign a contract with them. He challenged the club to show a letter from CAF requesting an inspection and suggested that the report was “manufactured” and “disrespectful.”
The Cape Coast Stadium, built in 2016 with a capacity of 15,000 spectators, has hosted several international matches, including the 2018 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations and the 2021 WAFU Zone B U-20 tournament. It is also one of the venues for the upcoming 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, which Ghana will co-host with Ivory Coast.
The NSA boss assured Ghanaians that the Cape Coast Stadium and the Baba Yara Stadium were fit for use and that Ghana could play its home matches. He said the NSA was working hard to improve and maintain the standards of all the stadiums in Ghana.
Meanwhile, Medeama SC has announced that they will relocate to the Baba Yara Stadium for their CAF Champions League group stage matches, following CAF’s decision. The club said they respected CAF’s verdict and hoped to make Ghana proud in their maiden appearance in Africa’s elite club competition.
Source: GhanaWeb
