World soccer governing body, FIFA has warned Ghana that continued third party intervention in the administration of football would have "adverse consequences" after the Ghana Football Association's offices were raided on Tuesday.
FIFA today set a Sunday 12 December 2010 deadline for the situation to end, adding that failure would see the matter referred to its Emergency Committee, which has the power to impose a suspension.
“Under these circumstances, if the Ghanaian authorities do not stop their direct intervention and allow GFA to work again (in particular by returning the CPU and all necessary material to GFA) before Sunday 12 December 2010, we will be obliged to refer the case to the FIFA Emergency Committee. This could entail all potential consequences linked to art. 13 and art. 17 of the FIFA Statutes which clearly state that any football association must manage their affairs independently and with no influence by any third parties or face sanctions in case of non-compliance,” a FIFA statement addressed to the GFA read.
“We hope that the Ghanaian authorities will reconsider their actions and thus avoid the deepening of a crisis which will only bring adverse consequences for the football lovers in Ghana.”
On Tuesday, the headquarters of the Ghana Football Association was raided by plain-clothed officers from the country's Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and removed nine computers and took away documents.
The action has halted all football related activities in the country as the FA's offices has been closed indefinitely.
FIFA also reminded the Ghanaian authorities that their activities were inconsistent with what the sport body had recommended in a letter last month.
“As stated in our previous letter dated 29 November 2010 - and as was clearly expressed by the FIFA President to the President of Ghana when they met in Zurich on 31 August 2010 - FIFA recognizes that the Ghanaian government authorities may audit GFA accounts related to the attribution of public funds ie government funds. As previously stated, this excludes funds coming from other sources (FIFA, CAF; corporate sponsors). In addition, a proper audit should be carried out by a neutral and recognized qualified auditor, such as one of the major international auditing firm.
“In this case, the EOCO (Economic and Organised Crime Office) moves implies that the GFA had to stop all its activities, including the running of the league or other development programs which is deeply worrying. This means that the GFA is not in a position anymore to exercise the core of its mandate, which is to run football, because of the government intervention. This is not acceptable.”
The Executive Committee of the Ghana Football Association today suspended all football related activities in the country until further notice.