{
  "id": 9313774,
  "title": "No player will intentionally decline national team call-up – Kurt Okraku",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/no-player-will-intentionally-decline-national-team-call-up-kurt-okraku",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-23T10:09:56.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
    "slug": "myjoyonline-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/no-player-will-intentionally-decline-national-team-call-up-kurt-okraku/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Ghana Football Association president Kurt Okraku has dismissed allegations that players are deliberately declining call-ups for upcoming international matches. Since assuming the presidency, there have been no reports of players turning down invitations, Okraku stated on Asempa FM. The national team will face Cote d'Ivoire, Gambia, and Morocco during the international break. Injuries and precautionary measures have been cited for some absences, with replacements prepared for the three games. Okraku firmly rejected suggestions that players are intentionally opting out of the matches. \"No player will intentionally decline to play for the national team,\" he affirmed, noting he had yet to encounter such a player since becoming GFA president. The Black Stars depart for a match against Cote d'Ivoire in Bouake on Wednesday, with a return to Ghana for games against Gambia and Morocco scheduled for October 4 in Tangier.",
  "summary": "According to him, there have been no reports of any such things since he burst onto the football scene as president of the association.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
        "title": "AFCON 2027Q: ‘No player deliberately turned down Ghana’ – Kurt defends injury withdrawals",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/afcon-2027q-no-player-deliberately-turned-down-ghana-kurt-defends",
        "published": "2026-09-23T09:48:28.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}