Current goalkeeper’s trainer of the Black Stars and a former member of the team, Richard Olele Kingson, has revealed he was once bribed to throw a World Cup group game.
According to the goalie, he was offered a 300k bribe to ensure Ghana lost to the Czech Republic in a world cup game.
Ghana qualified to the 2006 world cup and were placed in a group with Italy, Czech Republic and U.S.A.
Ghana lost 2-0 in the first game to Italy and had to play Czech next, but Olele said he was nearly bribed to ensure Ghana lost.
“In 2006 World Cup in Germany, we were about to play against Czech Republic. Then, they were the second best in the world and we had lost a game already. A Ghanaian led me to some people to take a bribe. The money was US$ 300,000,” he said.
According to him, he was confused as to what to do because their winning bonus was ‘only’ $8000 but luckily, his wife saved him.
“I was very confused. I did not know what to do. Very luckily, she was there with me in a different hotel. So I called this woman and said, ’My wife, this is what has happened. I don’t know what to do. What do I do? If we were to win the game, we were to receive US$ 8,000 or US$ 10,000. But if we were to lose the game by two goals to nil, I would take US$ 300,000. I was confused. Before the game, I called my wife and she said ‘Richard, I don’t love you because of your money or properties; I just love you as a human being. I was everywhere in the post. I was playing like I had been injected with the blood of Jesus,” he added.
Ghana went on to win the game by 2-0, with goals from Asamoah Gyan and Sulley Muntari.