Several
reports have emerged about Ghanaian supporters, celebrity ambassadors
and media men who were sent to Brazil to support the Black Stars.
Whiles
supporters complained about facing some hardship because of the poor
preparations and planning by the Sports ministry and its World Cup
organizing committee including poor accommodation, lack of
well-organized transportation from one point to the other among other
things, complains have also been made about the need for the celebrity
ambassadors and what role they are playing in Brazil.
In spite
of all these Ghanaians who was sent to Brazil are still doing their bit
to lift the flag of Ghana high. After the heartbreaking defeat by USA on
Monday June 16 and the reported hardships they are going on, Ghanaians
in Brazil remained optimistic for a better game against Germany and
truly the Black Stars performed way beyond expectation last Saturday
June 21.
However the joy was cut short due to flight issues at
Fortaleza airport after the match that left supporters, world cup
ambassadors and pressmen in a state of confusion, anxiety and stress for
nearly 12hours.
According to popular blogger Ameyaw Debrah who
is currently in Brazil, the group returned to the Fortaleza airport from
the stadium around 7pm (Brazil time) on Saturday evening and were told
the flight check-in will be at 11pm.
This infuriated many of the
supporters since they had not eaten the whole day because they had to
leave their camp early and thus skipped breakfast. They started
complaining that they were hungry, and since there was no real provision
to feed them in transit, those who had money on them bought their meals
from the restaurants within the airport.
The complains
heightened when check-in didn't happen at 11 pm. The supporters became
agitated and started screaming and making noise as though, that would
help matters in any way. Around 12 midnight, checking in began and they
were all transported to a boarding gate, presumably to board the flight
and head to Natal.
“Soon, it became apparent that boarding was
not going to happen as stories started flying around that the airline
carrying us had not completed some formalities, thus could not fly out
of the airport unless some communication had been finalized between the
airline in USA and authorities in Brazil. As the hours passed by the
group which included senior members of the Ghana World Cup committee,
Ghana’s world cup ambassadors Jackie Appiah, John Dumelo, Augustine
Ahinful and C.K Akunnor, Amanzeba, Gyedu Blay Ambolley and Akosua
Abdallah couldn’t hide their frustration. It became chaotic as some
supporters started screaming and insulting officials. At around 4 am
there was good news that the flight would soon take off…some sandwiches
and drinks were brought in for breakfast before finally the plane took
off for Natal around 5am,” according to some of the near-stranded
Ghanaian delegation.
Currently things are quite stable at the
Ghanaian camp as they eagerly await the decisive Ghana and Portugal
match on Thursday June 26. |
|
Ignace, John Dumelo, Jackie Appiah and Offeibea at the stadium during the Ghana and Germany match
|
|
|
|
|
Amandziba and a Ghanaian official
|
|
Amandziba, Kwasi Ahwoi and some officials
|
|
Female supporters pose with Becca
|
|
Jackie Appiah and a Ghanaian supporter
|
|
Supporters with Becca, Ambulley and others
|
|
C.K Akunnor with some Ghanaians
|
|
Becca, Ameyaw Debrah, Offeibea and Jackie Appiah
|
|
The stadium
|
|
A die hard supporter
|
|
John Dumelo
|
|
Gyedu Blay Ambolley with a fan
|
|
'This is great'...that is perhaps what this Ghanaian football fan in Brazil seem to be saying
|
|
These foreigners appear besotted with the Black Stars
|
|
Some supporters sleeping on the floor
|
|
Actor John Dumelo in green "enjoying his sleep", Jackie Appiah
finds solace with her phone, Ameyaw Debrah sleeping on the floor
together with some others
|
|
Supporters sleeping at the airport
|
|
|
|
|
0 comments:
Post a Comment