Top FIFA officials speak highly of Kwesi Nyantakyi - Bagbin

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin says he was quizzed by some FIFA Executives on the ill-treatment Ghanaians meted out to former Ghana Football Association President Kwesi Nyantakyi, who was described as dynamic, highly respected, and influential.

FIFA’s Ethics Committee banned Nyantakyi for life in 2018 following an Anas Aremeyaw Anas documentary into football corruption.

Speaking on Ghana’s qualification to the World Cup and other football matters Bagbin said, “It is good, there is no doubt about being investigative but when we brought down Kwesi Nyantakyi, we also brought down Ghana Football, he was one of the brightest spots at FIFA.”

He added that “When I met the Executives of FIFA and said I was the Speaker of Parliament of Ghana, they said what happened? Why did you people do that?

“He was a dynamic addition. The value that he carried at their meetings. He was highly respected, he was very influential and Ghana football was up there. We thought we were handling Nyantakyi but we didn’t know we were handling the whole of Ghana.”

“Senegal is up there because the Secretary-General of FIFA is a beautiful young lady from there who is doing very well. Please leaders do not stand alone, they stand for something that is symbolic to the country. Criticise us but don’t break their hands or legs.”

Nyantakyi, a former FIFA Council member had his life ban from football reduced to a 15-year sanction by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in 2020 following an appeal.

Source: asaaseradio.com