The Appeals Committee of the Ghana Football Association has given its ruling on three separate cases involving teams in the Division One League.
Case Sporting Mirren FC vs Istanbul FC
Sporting Mirren FC filed an application against a decision of the Disciplinary Committee that dismissed their claim of violation against Istanbul FC for not presenting their official strip at the pre-match technical meeting in contravention of articles 17(1)(a) and 34(1)(i) of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) Regulations.
Decision
Following a hearing into an application filed by Sporting Mirren FC:
- The Appeals Committee fully endorse the decision of the DC for concluding that the respondent committed no offence with respect to article 34(1)(i) and therefore the sanctions provided under articles 34(4)(b) and 34(6)(b) are inapplicable to this case.
- The Appeals Committee has dismissed with costs of One Thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢1,000.00) awarded against the appellants in favour of the respondents.
Case Feyenoord FC vs Madjeed Ashimeru
An appeal by Feyenoord FC against the decision of the Players Status Committee (PSC) dated 6th February, 2014 which declared the respondent - Madjeed Ashimeru - a free agent.
Decision
- Accordingly, the appeal succeeds and the decision of the PSC is hereby set aside. The respondent is ordered to revert to the appellants and serve three (3) additional seasons before considering seeking floating status.
- There shall be no order as to costs.
Case BA United FC vs Bofoakwa Tano FC
On the 28th January, 2014, the Disciplinary Committee (DC) dismissed protests filed by both the appellants (BA United) and the respondents (Bofoakwa Tano) accusing each other for causing the abrupt end of their Division One league match played at the Sunyani Coronation Park on the 11th December, 2013. The DC further ordered the replay of the said match behind closed doors.
Decision
- In our view a bad precedent would be set by allowing the DC’s decision to stand in that it is likely to send a dangerous signal to the football public in Ghana that supporters can commit any offence or misconduct themselves and escape punishment in so far as they cannot be identified as belonging to a particular club with exact precision even though the circumstances of the case point to only one conclusion.
- The entry of the officials onto the field to order their players to halt play is most despicable and inimical to the progress of the game and we accordingly condemn same with vehemence
- In the result, we hold that the abrupt end of the match in issue was caused or initiated by the supporters and officials of the respondents in contravention of article 34(1)(b) of the Regulations.
- Accordingly, the appeal succeeds and the respondents are hereby ordered to suffer the punishment of forfeiture under article 34(2) and 34(5)(a).
- The orders made by the DC are hereby set aside and in their place the following orders are hereby made: namely;
(i) The respondents are declared losers of the said match (ii) The appellants are awarded 3 points and 3 goals (iii) The respondents shall suffer the deduction of 3 points from its accumulated points from other previous matches. (iv) The respondents shall pay a fine of GH¢2,500.00 out of which 50% shall be paid to the appellant. (v) Referral of the conduct of Musah Salifu (team manager) and Kwesi Ansong (equipment officer) both officials of the respondents to the Prosecutor of the GFA for the consideration of appropriate charges against them.
- Costs of GH¢1,000.00 is awarded against the respondents in favour of the appellants.