A Code of Conduct has been signed by the Ghana Black Stars contingent at the Qatar 2022 Fifa World Cup finals.
As a result, one of the strong recommendations originating from the Justice Dzamefe Commission of Inquiry has been implemented. The Commission was established to perform an investigation into matters pertaining to the Black Stars’ World Cup participation in Brazil in 2014.
It emerged that the Ghana Football Association (GFA), at the time, had prepared a Code of Conduct for the Black Stars. However, the players dragged their feet on signing before the start of the tournament by claiming they were referring them to their lawyers.
It was concluded that contracts with players at future international tournaments will be signed to avoid the problems encountered at the 2014 World Cup over bonus payments.
As part of the program, players will be required to sign the team’s code of conduct, agree on bonus amounts before tournaments, and be paid through the bank.
The players took strike action because they had not been paid prior to Brazil 2014, resulting in $3m in cash being flown out to appease the squad.
Players received $100,000 appearance fees each even though the government had resolved to give them $82,500 which led to agitation at the World Cup.
Fast forward to Qatar 2022
The Black Stars are back at the Mundial after failing to qualify for the Russia 2018 edition.
This week, the GFA secured the signing of a Code of Conduct by the entire delegation prior to the start of a 4-day training camp in Abu Dhabi for the 2022 Fifa World Cup finals.
The Black Stars delegation – consisting of players, technical team, management and other staff – is expected to be ethically upright, respectful, honest, display a very high level of integrity and uphold the good name of the Black Stars, GFA and Ghana.
“The Code of Conduct outlines the norms, rules, duties and responsibilities or proper practices of an individual in the team and the team’s collective behaviour.
“The GFA expects the players and all other members of the national team to abide by these principles during their stay in the national team especially while in Doha, Qatar for the FIFA World Cup which kicks off on Sunday, November 20,” portions of a publication on the GFA website explained.
Ghana are housed in Group H where they come up against Portugal, South Korea and Uruguay at this Mundial.
