The management of Hearts of Oak expressed concern over the lack of specific details regarding the alleged misconduct.
In their rejoinder, Hearts of Oak's management emphasized their commitment to fair play and adherence to the regulations set by the Ghana Football Association (GFA). They highlighted that the club's Code of Ethics strictly prohibits any conduct, including bribery, that undermines the credibility of the sport.
The management of Hearts of Oak requested Yusif Chibsah to promptly disclose the name(s) of the individual(s) allegedly involved in the bribery incident. They stated that this information would facilitate thorough investigations by the relevant authorities and the imposition of appropriate sanctions, if necessary.
"Management of Hearts of Oak is therefore requesting Mr Yusif Chibsah to publish, immediately, the name of the person(s) involved in the bribery allegation for investigations and the imposition of appropriate sanctions by the relevant authorities," the club said.
Furthermore, Hearts management expressed disappointment in the publication describing it as unsubstantiated allegations that undermine the club's integrity and the overall credibility of Ghana football.
They urged retired professional footballers, like Mr. Chibsah, to be more responsible in sharing information and to avoid spreading unverified claims.
According to the club, it remains determined to take necessary actions to protect its reputation and defend its integrity.
In the GhanaWeb report, Chibsah revealed that during a match between King Faisal and Hearts of Oak, rumors began to circulate about how some players were being offered bribes to deliberately lose the game.
According to Chibsah, Alhaji Grusah took decisive action by contacting one of the players allegedly involved in the bribery.
Together, they made a call from a public telephone booth to an official from Hearts of Oak.
During the call, Alhaji Grusah instructed the player to inform the Hearts of Oak official that he had not yet received his share of the bribe money.
"Alhaji called one of the players and went with the player to the stationary phone boot and called an official of Hearts of Oak and told the player to tell the man you haven’t received the money that was shared for the players," Chibsah told Joy Sports.
To their surprise, the official on the other end of the line instructed the player to go and see a particular individual to collect his portion of the money.
"The official just gave himself one when he said, go and see this person. There and there Alhaji Grusah said, he was the mafia chairman," Chibsah stated.
This revelation confirmed Alhaji Grusah's suspicions, prompting Chibsah to describe him as the "mafia chairman" for his intelligent investigation tactics.
Chibsah went on to say that, "forget about his educational background, if Alhaji Grusah had higher education, he would have been one of the best administrators because he was highly intelligent."
The incident is believed to have happened between 1999 and 2003 when Chibsah played for King Faisal before transferring to Kumasi Asante Kotoko.
Read the full statement by Hearts of Oak below:
GA/SARA
Yusif Chibsah