Marcel Desailly reveals how corruption stopped him from developing El-Wak Sports Stadium

French football legend Marcel Desailly has opened on the frustrations he endured in his attempt to redevelop the El-Wak Sports Stadium.

Desailly in a Joy FM interview said he encountered numerous challenges in trying to turn the facility around and make it economically viable.

Detailing his frustrations, Desailly said that identifying the real owners of the facility became problematic as information was not forthcoming.

“It was hell trying to find out who exactly it belongs to,” Desailly told on Joy Sports during an exclusive interview last Saturday.

“From the military side and others. My aim was not to take the place for myself, considering the military are the ones that use the place for some official duties. But the guys were not opening up. We are corrupt, I have to say the truth!”.

The former Chelsea defender revealed that his plan was to make El-Wak a replica of the Lizzy’s Sports complex and introduce more sporting fields.

“I had the model. El-Wak needed commercial spaces around, just as I had done at Lizzy’s, reorganize the sports facilities because there was handball, basketball,” he noted.

“I could create a pool as well as the track around it, a gym just to be able to bring income to maintain the sports facility.”

Desailly urged Ghanaian officials to be “more open” to people who want to redevelop facilities in the national interest.

In his career, Marcel Desailly won the FIFA World Cup, Euros and Confederations Cup with France. At club level, he played and won titles with Chelsea, AC Milan, Marseille among others.

In over 116 appearances for France, the centre back scored 3 goals.