Former Hearts of Oak players Yaw Amankwah Mireku and Dan Quaye have rejected claims by the club’s former Chief Executive Officer, Harry Zakour, that each member of the squad received $100,000 after winning the 2000 CAF Champions League.
Zakour, popularly known as the Millennium Chairman, told Accra-based Sporty FM on Wednesday that Hearts of Oak received $3 million following their historic triumph and shared a significant portion of the money with the players.
He claimed each of the 18 players was given $100,000, describing the amount as substantial at the time.
“It’s not true [that the players were not compensated for winning the trophy]. You can even invite Ato Ahwoi to that. We gave them $100,000 each,” Zakour said.
However, Mireku and Quaye, who were both members of the title-winning squad, strongly disputed his account.
Mireku described the claim as false and said he received only $180 after the triumph.
“It is a lie. None of the players was awarded $100,000 for winning the CAF African Champions League. It is foolishness for Harry Zakour to lie that I was given $100,000 after winning the CAF African Champions League; I only received $180,” Mireku said.
“I am even ready to challenge Harry Zakour in court to prove me wrong and where they paid me that money,” he added.
Quaye also denied receiving the alleged payment, saying he remembered receiving about $2,000 instead.
“It is never true that we were paid that amount. They should stop lying. Sometimes Ghanaian politicians and big men like to lie, and it is unfair,” Quaye said.
“I was never given the said amount. If I recall, I only received $2,000 and not $100,000.”
Hearts made history in 2000 by defeating Tunisian giants Esperance in the CAF Champions League final to become the first Ghanaian club to win the competition in its modern format.
The Phobians went on to beat Zamalek in the 2001 CAF Super Cup, completing a memorable continental double.
They added another major African trophy in 2005 when they won the CAF Confederation Cup.
