NDC Member of Parliament, Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor, has apologised unreservedly to former Ghana Black Stars captain, Asamoah Gyan after his claims that he deliberately missed a crucial penalty in his playing days because of his political affiliation.
Gyan was named on the manifesto committee of the vice president Mahamudu Bawumia recently, prompting the claims by the South Dayi MP that has roundly been condemned.
He told TV XYZ that “there is everything wrong” with Gyan’s decision to serve on the manifesto committee and then went on to claim that “When you are a national figure like that…you have to remain non-partisan. I can reasonably say that it is because of partisan politics that he intentionally missed the penalty; for the government (NDC) to get all the glory, he won’t play to score the penalty.”
The comment has been criticised and the MP has now issued an apology.
“The Black Stars & other national teams have iconically rallied & carried our passions, dreams and aspirations for glory to the world. Upon reflection & calls from people like Kenpong, I retract & unreservedly apologize to Asamoah Gyan, for my comments,” Mr Dafeamekpor wrote on his X platform, March 2.
Gyan missed a crucial penalty in the 2010 world cup against Uruguay that would have made Ghana the first African country to reach the semifinal of the World Cup tournament. It has remained a sticky point in his relationship with Ghanaian football fans, but there was overwhelming support for him in the aftermath of the comment by the MP.
Sports journalist Michael Oti Adjei said, “questioning Asamoah Gyan’s unwavering commitment to Ghana during his distinguished career because of politics is wrong on so many levels.”
Gyan himself has stayed out of the conversation except responding to a comment on X that “maybe the MP wanted an autograph.”