By Mark Baber
February 11 – The president of the Ivory Coast, Alassane Ouattara has awarded over €3 million ($3.4 million) in bonuses to his country’s 2015 Africa Cup of Nations winners according to the Ivorian Sports Ministry.
The Ivorian government had been reluctant to fund the country’s 2015 AFCON campaign, but the team’s deserved and dramatic victory on penalties against neighbours Ghana in the final has been greeted by the declaration of a national holiday, invitations to the presidential palace and the award of the highest order of knights of the National Order
Coach Herve Renard will receive a bonus of more then €114 000 ($129,000) and each of his 23-man squad are to receive a house worth €46,000 ($52,000) as well as the same amount “in cash”, according to Sports Minister Alain Lobognon.
In addition, the Ivorian Football Federation will receive €380,000 ($429,000), with the technical and administrative staff sharing €460,000 ($520,000).
Although the Ivory Coast’s 20 million population has a poverty rate of 42.7% (World Bank latest figures), an average life expectancy of just 50 at birth and a GDP per capita of $1014.40 (2013figure), the national football team is seen as a cohesive force in the civil-war ravaged nation.
According to Ouattara: “Thanks to you, Ivory Coast is once more united. You managed to rebuild a strong team working as one towards one goal – winning and winning more. It’s a lesson in rallying people together.
“We had been dreaming about that title for a quarter of a century! Now, the cup is here and, as they say, all things come in threes!”
Last year Ouattara offered the players around £40,000 if they could make it through to the round of 16 in the World Cup and in 2012 they were offered €61,000 if they won the AFCON final (they finished as losing finalists after a penalty-shoot-out against Zambia).
Meanwhile, the losing finalists from Ghana have been awarded $25,000 each with the Youth and Sports Minister Mahama Ayariga defending the payments on the basis of the atmosphere in the stadium during the semi-final saying: “I wish they were in the stadium and then they will know whether $25,000 is worth that kind of experience.”
It remains to be seen whether the Ghana players receive their bonuses. The debacle over their World Cup payments, which some players apparently kept hidden in duffle bags in the changing rooms, is due to be the subject of a Hollywood movie.
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