Ghana has sent a plane carrying $3M in cash to Brazil to "pay the World Cup appearance fees" owed to the national team, according to Ekow Dontoh of BLOOMBERG. Ghana Deputy Sports Minister Joseph Yammin said, "The players insisted that they will want physical cash." Ghana President John Dramani Mahama "contacted the team and the arrangements for payment were made." The players were expected to be paid on Wednesday and the "government will be reimbursed by money awarded to Ghana by FIFA." FIFA said, "President Mahama waded into the matter after agitation from the Black Stars players. President Mahama personally spoke to the players to assure them the money will be paid by Wednesday afternoon" (BLOOMBERG, 6/25). In London, Stuart James reported Ghana’s players have promised that they will not boycott Thursday’s crucial World Cup group game against Portugal after an "extraordinary row" over appearance money. Ghana coach James Appiah said that "he had suffered sleepless nights dealing with the problem and expressed his dismay that his players had not been paid long before." Ghana’s appearance bonus "was agreed before arriving in Brazil." However, when that money failed to arrive by the start of this week, the players "decided to take a stand." It is understood that they "refused to train on Tuesday" (GUARDIAN, 6/25).
