[ 2011-11-25 ]

Kotoko played Hearts in a league match on Sunday

Kotoko launches attack on Ghanasoccernet and media
Kotoko’s PRO Listowell Yesu Bukarson has
released a statement condemning
www.ghanasoccernet.com and other media outlets for
exposing a section of their fans who threw stones
during Sunday’s league match against Hearts.

The press statement is below and read the reaction
of www.ghanasoccernet.com to the statement below:



KOTOKO CAUTIONS MEDIA.

It has come to the knowledge of the management of
Kumasi Asante Kotoko SC, media reports that seek
to mar the hard won enviable corporate image of
our club as the most professional football team in
this country in recent times.

A couple of media houses have raised issues
regarding the behavior of some football fans at
the Accra Sports Stadium when Kotoko played
age-long rivals, Accra Hearts of Oak in the last
Premier league match on Sunday 20th November,
2011.

These media reports have identified fans who threw
all forms of objects on the pitch as Kotoko fans,
therefore calling on the GFA to sanction Kotoko in
respect of those incidences.

It is regrettable how sections of the media have
decided to paint Kotoko fans as hooligans.
SuperSports.com reporter, Gary Al-Smith in an
article dated 24th, November, 2011 under the
headline, “Security issues haunt Super Clash”
reports that, “Referee Awal Mohammed had a good
game, but for periods of the game his decisions
caused Kotoko fans at the Conference Center End,
Independence End and InterContinental Ban End of
the stadium to react. Fans were shown throwing
varied objects onto the field and had to be
pleaded with by both sets of players and police to
stop. No arrests were made”

Ghanasoccernet.com reporter, Patrick Akoto also
writing under the heading, “Kotoko face FA rap
over fans misconduct” states that, “The Ghana
Football Association could sanction Asante Kotoko
for failing to control their fans in Sunday’s
‘Super clash’ against rivals Hearts of Oak”.
He continues that, “A section of their fans
threw stones onto the field in protest for what
they perceived as bias officiating against centre
man Awal Mohammed even tough television replay
showed he was spot on”

This ghanasoccernet.com report has also sadly been
reproduced by the esteemed National Daily, “The
Ghanaian Times” edition of Thursday, November
24, 2011.

It is amazing how ghanasweb.com writer in an
article puts it. Headlined, “May 9: Kotoko fans
were at it again” Writer, Raymond Yeboah of
Sportsinghana.com indicates thus, “Hearts
supporters had within their reach all the powers
as hosts to react to the missiles Kotoko fans were
throwing but Hearts fans were tolerant on that
occasion. I don’t know why up to now, a decade
later, Kotoko fans have still not learnt their
lessons from the May 9 2001 incident” He adds
that, “I entreat GFA Disciplinary committee to
punish Kotoko to serve as a deterrent to other
clubs. We don’t want such hooligan attitude
again in our league. The security of more than 500
policemen and 15 military men couldn’t even make
any arrest when the fans were throwing the
missiles, sad indeed” He sadly concludes that,
“Kotoko ought to be punished. They should buy
quality strikers and stop blaming referees”.

Some radio stations have also gone along those
lines in their discussions.

These reports are unfounded and only seek to
perpetuate one agenda or the other against the
focus and concentration of Management, players and
supporters of the our great team. More so when the
team is setting the pace for professionalism in
this country.

These reports are more worrying when the GFA and
its associated bodies have not reported those acts
as coming from fans of our great club.

We are delighted to state that we have enjoyed a
very healthy and cordial relationship with media
and hope that this synergy is not marred by a few
agenda-setting journalists and their media
houses.



Let the ethics of the fourth estate of the realm
be the guide as you chat the cause of this noble
journalism profession, since Kotoko will not
entertain reports meant to tarnish our club’s
image in this era of professionalism coming to our
game.

Thanks



Yours in the sports arena,

Listowell Yesu Bukarson

Public and Supporters Relations Manager,

Kumasi Asante Kotoko SC

****************************************************************

GHANAsoccernet.com Footnotes: We are utterly
shocked and negatively surprised at Kotoko PRO’s
reaction to what was blatant for the 40,000 in the
Accra Sports Stadium and millions watching on
television is rather to condemn the media. It is a
fact that a section of Kotoko supporters (NOT ALL)
threw stones onto the field. Instead of
admonishing these fans and smoking them out so
that law-abiding fans can enjoy our local league
again, the Kotoko PRO has embarked on a crude
attempt to turn Kotoko fans against the media but
the discerning fans of this great club, who are in
the majority, know better. The fact that many
media outlets reported on this, shows that the
ugly incident really happened. Guided by our
horrific past of 126 fans perishing because of the
actions of some deviants, we will be vigilant to
report on the truth without fear or favour. We
will not sit down for any fan to lose his or her
life because of the actions of a misguided few.
The Kotoko PRO is clutching at the deceptive
comfort that these actions have gone unnoticed and
that he will enjoy an illusory sense of peace and
progress. The deceptive sense of ease permits a
party to indulge itself in the illusion that
things aren’t so bad and this is the key reason
why people lost confidence in the local league.
Confidence is returning to the local league
because the GFA is clamping down on suspicious
refereeing, notorious stadiums and bad actions by
officials and players. So deviant supporters must
be exposed by the clubs and smoked out for the
peace loving ones to enjoy the game. We must not
sweep these issues under the carpet. We know the
Kotoko chairman Dr. KK Sarpong and the Circles
will not condone such bad actions. To the Ghana
Football Association, the best way to deal with
future threats peacefully is to deal with the
present ones with resolve.

Source - Ghanasoccer

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