Unvaccinated fans are to be barred from gaining access to match centres in the about-to-start 2021/22 season, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has indicated.
GFA President Kurt ES Okraku revealed the imposition of the ‘no vaccine, no entry’ policy at the 27th Ordinary session of Congress at Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence, Prampram on Thursday, October 28, 2021.
Dr Anthony Nsiah-Asare, the Presidential Advisor on Health, had earlier indicated that as part of measures for the continuous control of the spread of the COVID-19 virus, talks were ongoing over the move that will require football patrons to show their vaccine passports before being allowed entry into match venues.
And the leader of the country’s football indicated to Congress that ‘no vaccine, no entry’ has become a key requirement just one day to the start of the Ghana Premier League, the 2021/22 season’s first competition.
President Okraku stated: “As we get ready to get into the new season, it’s so important that we all get ourselves ready for the demands of our new season.
“We are engaging government so that we have more fans accessing our games.”
“But one of the key requirements, my colleagues, will be the need for all of us to ensure that we are vaccinated {for COVID-19] to be able to access football.
“What that means is that all our players and staff will be vaccinated. Indeed that process has started.
“And all football fans who will want to access our football games live at the various stadia must prove that they have received vaccination,” he indicated.
Clubs have been deprived of full capacity at match centres since football returned after the outbreak of COVID-19 last year. It is unknown if the current 25% allowed patronage will be increased as a result of the new ‘no vaccination, no entry’ rule.
The 2021/22 Ghana Premier League kicks off with a night fixture between Accra Lions FC and Elmina Sharks at the Accra Sports Stadium on Friday, October 29.
