Media reports revealed that Sudanese players Abdul Karim Yacoub and Ismat Al Hassan, who play for the Ghanaian team Asante Kotoko, escaped in the United States after arriving to play a match against DC United.
It was reported that the players escaped from the team hotel in the United States after arriving to participate in a celebratory match against the American Football League team, DC United.
According to a report carried by Nhyira FM radio, the two players who escaped are Sudanese Abdul Karim Yacoub and Ismat Al Hassan.
The team discovered the players escaping from the hotel via surveillance camera footage, which showed them leaving in front of the hotel in a car.
The Sudanese duo was part of 9 players and 5 officials who left for the United States of America on October 9, 2024 to participate in the match.
The team faced visa issues ahead of their trip, with several players having their visas denied, reducing the 32-strong squad to just 18. Due to the small team size, Kotoko FC agreed to collaborate with a select team of Ghanaian players in the United States to field a team for the match.
The management of Asante Kotoko Club expressed its shock and disappointment over the incident, as the club is currently working in cooperation with local authorities and the Ghanaian embassy to the United States to find the missing players.
This annual celebratory match, organized by the Ghana Tourism Authority in collaboration with the Ghana Football Association, is part of the 2024 Ghana Week in Washington, which runs from 7 to 12 October 2024.
