‘It is very worrying’ – Ghana Premier League Called out over Prize Money

‘It is very worrying’ – Ghana Premier League Called out over Prize Money
Credit: @Footballghana3 Twitter

Ghana's top flight football league, the Ghanaian Premier League, is being called out for having a prize of GHC300,000 by Dr Tony Aubynn, a board member of Medeama Sports Club. The league hosts 18 teams every season from all across the West African nation. They play each other twice to rack up the most points from 34 games which will determine the league champion.

Medeama SC ended the 2022/23 league season as champions, their first ever title in their 21-year history and received GHC300,000 as prize money. Aubynn has expressed concerns over the prize awarded his team.

Prize money worrying, but understandable

Dr Tony Aubynn, who sits on the board of Medeama SC, was excited about his team's first GPL trophy. The 2022/23 top flight title is Medeama's fourth title in their 21-year history, which is a fair record for the relatively new team.

It has been a steady rise to the top spot for the team, who finished second the season before and fifth the season before that. Aubynn, though excited, is concerned about the financial implications of winning the league. Aubynn is also a member of the Ghana Football Association executive council who determine the prize monies for the various leagues in the club but as a member of Medeama's board, he expressed concerns over what his team stands to gain.

“I quite agree that after the test of going through the league, if your reward is three hundred thousand Ghana Cedis [GHC300,000], it becomes very worrying,” he said to local media. Aubynn then played devil's advocate for the Ghana FA by reminding the local reporters of the responsibilities that the Ghana football governing body carries on its back. “But you are right,” he added in defence of the GFA.

“You cannot give what you do not have. The Ghana Football Association is running other activities.”

GFA providing equipment and logistic support for clubs, notes Aubynn

The GFA is noted for providing football boots and training equipment for clubs in all the divisions. This greatly cuts down their investment in their leagues. Aubynn noted this while making the comments about the little prize money his club, Medeama, will be getting from the league after winning the title. “In those days when smaller teams have to get boots, footballs and all those things. These days, the FA have to provide all these things,” Aubynn said.

Meanwhile, Aubynn pointed out that his team won the GPL thanks to determination and grit. “I think it was determination and focus that does that did the trick,” he said. “At a point in time our performances were not very consistent and we were getting worried.

“I recall calling an emergency meeting and guess what, I was in church on Sunday at that time. I drove from church in my church clothes to Cape Coast to hold that emergency meeting. Our initial target was to win the league because of the history that worked against us; the various force majeures that went against us. The Anas expose and COVID-19. In both situations we were leading the league.”

This article was most recently revised and updated 2 years ago

Daniel Kolade
All-round lover of the beautiful game. Massive football fan, supported Arsenal for decades for reasons that are unexplainable. One day we will win the Champions League!
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