Sulley Muntari was Rambo in Brazil – Kwesi Nyantakyi

• Posted on October 2, 2014October 2, 2014
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) Kwesi Nyantakyi has given a blow-by-blow account of Sulley Muntari’s Rambo-style attack on Moses Parker, a member of the FA, during the Brazil World Cup.

The AC Milan midfielder physically assaulted Mr Parker at one of the team’s numerous meetings to resolve their outstanding appearance fee issue.

Responding to questions on what accounted for the fight, the GFA chief said a meeting was called at the instance of the players to address their financial crisis and other problems.

The FA boss said the players complained about the delay of their appearance fee and the low standard of their hotels, which according to Nyantakyi, was not bad.

“My Lord, the players used harsh words on us in that meeting and I told them I take full responsibility for the mishap and that their monies would be paid soon.

“Parker interjected and re-affirmed President Mahama’s promise that the money shall definitely come, and that they shouldn’t worry.

“Sulley retorted, ‘who is he?’ and I responded, ‘one of the Executive members I introduced in one of our meetings.’

And before we could say jack, he (Sulley) had released one blow and Moses said, ‘president’; and I responded, ‘don’t reply’. He followed with a second blow, picked a chair and I held it.

“Later, we took Moses to his room and told him not to continue. Sulley insisted Moses vacates the hotel, but we told him it was late for him to leave.

“Sulley succeeded in tracing Moses’ room number (208). We were in the room, and what I saw was Alhaji Lartey, one of the security persons, was on the floor. Dada Ansong was thrown away. However, Jonathan Mensah was able to hold Sulley’s right hand, but he managed to use the left hand to throw a bottle which I blocked with my hand.

“He picked three iPhones and an iPad belonging to Moses and broke them into pieces. I became angry thereafter because I got injured,” Nyantakyi narrated.

The FA Boss told the commission that the player’s behaviour compelled management to take disciplinary action against him; hence, his expulsion from the team’s camp and subsequent stripping of his accreditation.

He said the player showed no remorse after the incident, adding that their decision was a move to instil discipline into the team.

The commission petitioned the GFA president to recall the two ‘bad boys’—Sulley and Kevin Prince Boateng, who also fell out of favour with management of the team on disciplinary grounds—should they show gross remorse.

Justice Senyo Dzamefe however cautioned that the country’s football governing body, GFA, should not treat the players with kids’ gloves henceforth.

In his response to the commission’s plea, Nyantakyi indicated that the team’s doors are still open to them if only they show remorse.

By Kofi Owusu Aduonum