Former Inter Allies midfielder, Richmond Lamptey, has opened up about the challenging period he faced when he was wrongly accused of involvement in a match-fixing scandal against Ashantigold two seasons ago. The accusations were so distressing that he considered retiring from football altogether.
The Asante Kotoko playmaker was initially handed a ban by the Ghana Football Association (GFA), but the club’s management took the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which ultimately cleared Lamptey of any wrongdoing.
CAS ruled that the GFA should pay Lamptey a sum exceeding $3000 as a result of the unjust situation he had to endure.
Speaking about the ordeal, Lamptey shared, “It was very painful. Since the issue came up, I haven’t really spoken about it. It was a really difficult time for me. The way my parents were lamenting, it was painful to see.”
The false accusations took a toll on Lamptey’s mental well-being and even impacted his ability to perform on the field. He faced challenges going out and found discouragement in negative comments on social media.
The situation became so overwhelming that he contemplated retiring from professional football. Lamptey expressed his gratitude to the club’s management for pursuing the matter with CAS, which led to his exoneration.
Now, with the matter resolved, Lamptey is currently in training camp, preparing for the upcoming Ghana Premier League season with Asante Kotoko.
