Dunkwa United have been fined GH¢2,000 for failing to control its supporters when they invaded the field of play without authorization in their Division One League match against Starke FC on 15 March, 2015.
Fans of the club also carried an injured player of the opposing team from the field of play resulting in the hold up of play for several minutes until the police personnel cleared the inner perimeter in respect of the said match. Their actions were deemed as a violation of Articles 56 and 58 of the Disciplinary Code and Article 35(1)(a), 35(1)(d) and 35(10) the GFA General Regulations.
DEFENCE Dunkwa United in its Statement of Defence, signed by its Founder and Chairman, Dr. Mark Kurt Nawaane, the club admitted that there were excesses and misconduct which occurred but did not plead guilty and did not waive its right to personal hearing to defend the charges against the club.
PROCEEDINGS AND FINDINGS Dunkwa United was invited to the Disciplinary Committee and was represented by its Operations Manager, Mr. Frank Mensah. The Committee examined the depositions in the Charge Sheet, the Statement of Defence, the oral evidence of both Dunkwa United and the GFA Prosecutor, the reports of the match officials of the said match.
In its evidence, Dunkwa United explained that the incidents were started by the insistence of the referee and Starke FC officials to treat injured players on the field to waste time. Dunkwa United also indicated that in taking the decision on this matter, care should be taken to protect the interest of football fans who only see forty minutes instead of ninety minutes because Starke FC players preferred lying on the ground.
The club in concluding stated that “Dunkwa United would wish to tender an unqualified apology to the football fraternity” and that such incidents will not occur again.
The Committee takes judicial notice of the apology of Dunkwa United. However, the conduct of the supporters of Dunkwa United is in violation of the GFA regulations and shall attract the necessary sanctions accordingly.
It is worth stating once again that there are structures within Ghana football to deal with complaints against any alleged mishandling of a match by a match official (Match Review Panel) or a misconduct of a match official (Complaint to the GFA Prosecutor or the Referee’s Committee).
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 Dunkwa United with respect to Articles 56 and 58 of the Disciplinary Code and Article 35(1)(a), 35(1)(d) and 35(10) the GFA General Regulations, hereby imposes a fine of Two Thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢2,000) against the club in accordance with Article 39(1)(b) of the GFA General Regulations.
2. That the fine mentioned in Decision 1 above, shall be paid to the GFA within fourteen (14) days upon receipt of this Ruling, failing which Dunkwa United 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 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).