WC 2010: Ghana to petition FIFA on 'declaration of goal'

Accra- Ghana (PANA) -- Ghana hinted Tuesday it would petition FIFA, the world foo tball governing body, to take a critical look at 'declaration of goal' in footba l l competitions, after it was denied a goal in the FIFA 2010 World Cup, when a Ur u guayan player deliberately stopped a goal-bound shot that many said crossed the l ine.
This was announced by Ghana Football Association (GFA) president, Kwesi Nyantaky i, when players of the Black Stars, who arrived home Monday, were hosted to a lu n cheon by President John Evans Atta Mills at the Castle, the seat of government.
Nyantakyi said GFA was concerned about refereeing in Ghana's quarter-final match against Uruguay, where the referee awarded a penalty instead of a goal for Ghan a .
"The GFA has decided to petition FIFA to take a critical look at declaration of goal in critical competitions," Nyantakyi said.
Uruguay striker Luis Suarez deliberately stopped Ghanaian striker Dominic Adiyia h's goal bound header in the last minute of extra time when the score was 1-1.
Suarez was given the matching orders and a penalty given to Ghana, but Ghanaian striker Asamoah Gyan blasted the ball off the cross bar.
Ghana lost the subsequent penalty shoot-out 4-2 to edge the country out.
Nyantakyi said many members of FIFA were from the United Kingdom and seeing what happened to England, whose goal by Frank Lampard against Germany was disallowed , they would support the petition.
He said the Black Stars, which became the only third African team, after Cameroo n (1990) and Senegal (2002) to reach the quarter-final of the World Cup, was not disgraced but they brought honour, pride and dignity to Ghana, Africa and the Bl a ck race.
President Mills announced that the players would each be given a national honour at a future date.
He described the team as 'gallant and victorious' Black Stars, saying they lifte d high the flag of Ghana and Africa.
The government also announced that every player, the head coach and assistant co aches would receive a reward of US$ 20,000, while other handlers and support sta f f would also receive handsome monetary rewards.
The encounter with the President came at the end of a float that took the player s through the principal streets of Accra, where they were given a rapturous welc o me by tens of thousands of people who lined the streets of Ghana.
Other activities outlined for the team include a musical concert, a meeting with the leadership of Parliament on Friday, special Muslim prayers also on Friday a n d a non-denominational thanksgiving church service on Sunday.