{
  "id": 15597990,
  "title": "World Cup Visa Scandal: Yaw Ampofo Ankrah ‘200% confident’ of exoneration",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/world-cup-visa-scandal-yaw-ampofo-ankrah-200-confident-of-exoneration",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-19T10:56:11.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
    "slug": "myjoyonline-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/world-cup-visa-scandal-yaw-ampofo-ankrah-200-confident-of-exoneration/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "National Sports Authority (NSA) Director-General Yaw Ampofo Ankrah has expressed \"200%\" confidence that he will be cleared of accusations related to the World Cup visa scandal, according to the source. Suspended by President John Dramani Mahama on October 1, Ankrah faces allegations of alleged involvement in a visa facilitation scheme linked to the global event. The controversy arose after it was reported that an estimated US$623,000 was received from individuals seeking assistance with visa applications and travel arrangements for the tournament. Approximately 90 people allegedly paid between $10,000 and $15,000 each, but only five of them received visas. Ankrah reiterated his innocence in the visa scandal during Ghana's Beach Soccer AFCON qualifier against Nigeria, stating, \"I’m 200% confident that I’ll be exonerated.\" He urged journalists to verify their sources and report professionally, adding, \"People should be very cautious about what they put out there that they cannot verify.\" Professor Emmanuel Osei Sarpong has since been appointed as the acting Director-General of the National Sports Authority following Ankrah's suspension.",
  "summary": "Ankrah was suspended by President John Dramani Mahama on Thursday, October 1, following controversy over an alleged visa facilitation arrangement linked to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}