“Pained” Karim Zito blasts SWAG, vows never to participate in any future event over consistent snub

Zito, who has guided the ambitious Ghanaian side to the quarter-finals of the CAF Confederation Cup, and now on the cusp of a historic semi-final berth, feels he’s been given a raw deal by the Sports writers for one too many.

The Ghana Under-15 coach has been overlooked for honours despite chalking remarkable successes with the country’s Uner-20 male team.

He guided the Black Satellites to win the WAFU Zone B tournament in 2020 Benin as well as CAF Under-20 AFCON in Mauritania in 2021.

But Covid-19 derailed the team’s ambition of playing at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Indonesia after the global event was canceled due to pandemic.

And the former Asante Kotoko great, who is leading Dreams FC in a memorable 2023-24 CAF Confederation Cup campaign, has vowed never to participate in any award scheme by the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG),  for disrespecting his immense contribution to the game.

“Last year (2023), there was a media house that selected their top 5 coaches. I wasn’t even named among the top 5.  Anytime SWAG nominate me, they overlook me for the award,” he fumed on Onua TV

“So I have taken the decision not to attend any SWAG event event if I am nominated. Because, I know I will  be overlooked for others perhaps underserving.

“For 13 years, we had been in the wilderness until  I won the WAFU Zone B for Ghana and eventually won the CAF U20 AFCON.  But they handed the individual award to a coach aspiring to win a league in Ghana. You’ve sparked sadness in me this morning talking about this, I feel pain!

“So I’ve decided that SWAG should not call me again regarding any of their event. There is no way I will go! They should not even nominate again!!

“Three times I’ve been there, three times I’ve been denied. Meanwhile I am not there because I am Karim Zito, I am there because of my performance.

“So it’s true! I don’t know if it’s because of where I come from (referring to Dreams FC). But I am happy that gradually some of you (journalists) are understanding me and now seeing exactly what I am doing for Ghana football.”

Evans Augustine Adotey was crowned Coach of the Year for guiding Medeama to their first ever Ghana Premier League crown in the 2022-23 campaign.

The SWAG Awards, the longest-running award scheme in Ghana since 1975, rewards top-performing Sports men and women over the year, and recognizes the efforts of persons involved in Sports development.

Source:Fiilasports/ghanasoccernet