Owner of Tema Youth Football Club, Winfred Osei Kweku Palmer, has launched a scathing attack on the leadership of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), accusing them of masterminding the club’s relegation from the top flight.
Tema Youth, once renowned for developing top talents such as Thomas Partey and Joseph Paintsil, now finds itself struggling in the third division.
The club’s demotion came after a dispute over unpaid compensation to Young Red Bulls following Joseph Paintsil’s transfer to Belgian side KRC Genk.
In addition to their relegation, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ordered Tema Youth to pay €150,000 to the GFA—a directive Palmer claims the club refused to honor.
In an interview with Asempa FM, Palmer did not hold back his frustrations. “I have no regrets about my involvement in football, but what troubles me is the orchestrated effort to destroy Tema Youth,” he said. “It was a bigger vision I was pursuing, but despite the setbacks, I will keep pushing forward.”
Palmer went on to allege that certain members of the GFA conspired to ensure the downfall of Tema Youth, claiming irregularities during the CAS process. “There was a plot to relegate us. I can’t name names, but I was informed that individuals within the GFA collaborated to ensure our collapse,” he revealed.
He further disclosed disturbing details about the CAS hearings, including the presentation of five different player passports, which he believes were fabricated. “We were given five different player passports, and I know exactly where they were illegally produced,” Palmer asserted.
He concluded by lamenting Tema Youth’s ongoing struggles in the lower division. “Even in the third division, we face constant challenges. Every time we play, points are mysteriously deducted from our tally,” he said, hinting at continued unfair treatment from football authorities.