B.A United have been fined an amount of GH¢500 and banned from playing one (1) home match at the Sunyani Coronation park for failing to control their supporters in their League match against Medeama.
The GFA Disciplinary Committee charged BA United with two (2) counts as per the Charge Sheet in respect of the First Capital Plus Premier League match played between BA United FC and Medeama SC on 7th June, 2015.
On the first count, BA United FC was charged for failing to control the club’s supporters when at the half time of the match, they invaded the path to the dressing room and attempted to assault the match officials resulting in the match officials being held hostage for about five (5) minutes on the field of play until the police personnel could shield them to the dressing room in violation of Articles 56, 58 and 59 of the Disciplinary Code and Article 35(1)(a), 35(3)(c), 35(4) and 35(10) of the GFA General Regulations.
On the second count, BA United FC was charged for failing to control the club’s supporters when after the final whistle they attempted to assault the match officials resulting in the hold up of match officials in the dressing room for about forty-five (45) minutes until the police personnel called in re-enforcement to drive them out of the park in the police vehicle to the Sunyani Police Station. This conduct of the supporters is said to be in violation of Articles 56, 58 and 59 of the Disciplinary Code and Article 35(1)(a), 35(3)(c), 35(4) and 35(10) the GFA General Regulations.
DEFENCE BA United FC in its Statement of Defence pleaded not guilty and requested for personal hearing to defend the charges levelled against the club.
PROCEEDINGS AND FINDINGS The Committee examined the depositions in the Charge Sheet, the oral evidence, the reports of the match officials and the official video of the said match.
In the club’s defence, the club’s Board Chairman changed the pleas on both counts to guilty with explanation. He explained that the behaviour of the supporters was not targeted at the match officials but rather it was intended to be against the players who he said did not play well on the day. According to Mr. Peter Nimo, the referees and the players use the same path to the dressing room, so it was understandable for the match officials to misread the supporters’ action as being targeted at them. He therefore prayed the Committee to temper justice with mercy, saying that this is the first incident that his club had been involved in this season.
The Committee takes notice of the partial admission of the charges but also finds that the behaviour of the supporters of BA United FC is prohibited by the GFA regulations irrespective of the targeted victims and shall accordingly attract the necessary sanction.
In this respect, the Committee was also mindful of Article 35(4) which states that: “The Association shall hold clubs responsible for the misconduct of their supporters before, during and after a match”.
DECISIONS
The Disciplinary Committee makes the following decisions:
1. That the Committee having satisfied itself that the evidence adduced before it supports the charge of misconduct against the supporters of BA United FC, hereby imposes a fine of Five Hundred Ghana Cedis (GH¢500.00) on BA United FC in accordance with Article 39(1)(b) of the GFA General Regulations.
2. That the fines mentioned in Decision 1 above, shall be paid to the GFA within fourteen (14) days upon receipt of this Ruling, failing which BA United FC shall automatically forfeit all subsequent matches after the said deadline in accordance with Article 15(b) of the GFA Disciplinary Code and Article 39(8)(b) of the First Amendment to the GFA General Regulations.
3. That the Committee having considered that this is the first time BA United FC has failed to control their supporters at their home ground, the Committee hereby bans the club from playing one (1) home match at the Sunyani Coronation Park and the Premier League Board shall decide where the club shall play the next home fixture for which the club is banned.
4. That BA United FC and its supporters are hereby warned to be of good behaviour and that should the club be found guilty of any misconduct charges during this football season, the Committee shall apply the maximum sanctions against the club.
5. That should any party be dissatisfied with or aggrieved by this Decision, the party has within three (3) days of being notified of this Ruling to appeal to the Appeals Committee (See Article 37(11) of the General Regulations of the GFA).