Pure Joy Stars have been fined an amount of GH¢2,000.00 in respect of their GN Bank Division One League match against King Solomon played on March 22, 2015.
Purejoy FC was charged for allegedly failing to control their supporters when they rush to the field and attacked, heckled and verbally abused the match officials until they were rescued in violation of Article 58 of the Disciplinary Code and Articles 35(2) and 35(3)(c) the GFA General Regulations.
DEFENCE Prampram Purejoy Stars FC in its Statement of Defence pleaded not guilty to the charge, waived their rights to personal hearing and submitted a Written Statement of Defence to defend the charges against the club.
PROCEEDINGS AND FINDINGS The Committee examined the depositions in the Charge Sheet, the written Statement of Defence, and the reports of the match officials of the said match. In its written Statement of Defence signed by Nicholas Nii Addo, the Chairman of the club, Prampram Purejoy Stars FC explained that its supporters did not attack the match officials. Prampram Purejoy Stars FC stated further that “the only one incident that occurred was one young man who had a misunderstanding with the match commissioner after the match in respect of a second bookable offence which sent our striker off with few seconds to the end the match. Before he could approach the match commissioner, the police got him out of the field”. The club explained further that nobody was heckled or attacked.
The relevant provisions on ensuring the safety of match officials and all other stakeholders of the game are very clear and unambiguous. These include Articles 10 of the Division One League special Regulations and Articles 66 of the Disciplinary Code of the GFA.
Clubs must also not lose sight of Article 35(2) of the General Regulations of the GFA which provides that:
Article 35(2) “Misconduct towards a match official away from the field of play where that misconduct can be related or traced to a match shall be dealt with as if it has been committed on the field of play”. On charges against supporters, clubs must also be mindful of Article 35(4) which states that: Article 35(4) “The Association shall hold clubs responsible for the misconduct of their supporters before, during and after a match”. 2 | P a g e
With respect to the instance case, it must be pointed out that persons not qualified to be in the inner parameter must not be there for whatever reason unless permitted to do so. Again, verbal attacks on match officials are not acceptable in our game and the rules are very clear on this misbehaviour by supporters.
The Disciplinary Committee was satisfied with the evidence before it that the conduct of the supporter amounted to misconduct and a breach of Regulations of the GFA and shall accordingly apply the necessary sanction against Prampram Purejoy Stars FC in this respect.
The Committee wishes to state that there are structures within the GFA which deal with complaints against any alleged mishandling of a match by a match official (may send a Complaint to the Match Review Committee established under Article 59(3) of the GFA Statutes) or against a misconduct by a match official (may send a Complaint to the GFA Prosecutor appointed under Article 39 of the GFA Statutes Referees or to the Referee Committee under Article 64 which has the duty to recommend the suspension or removal from the referees list referees found to be incompetent or guilty of serious misconduct per Article 64(6) of the GFA Statutes). We dare say that verbally attacking the match officials is definitely not one of the acceptable ways to channel and address grievances in association football.
Finally, the Committee wishes to commend the forthrightness of the Police personal for the prompt action in ensuring the safety of the match officials.
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 verbally abusing the match officials by the supporters of Prampram Purejoy Stars FC, hereby imposes a fine of Two Thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢2,000.00) on the club in accordance with Article 39(1)(b) of the GFA General Regulations.
2. That Prampram Purejoy Stars 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.
3. 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 Prampram Purejoy Stars 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), 39(8) (d) and 39(8) (f) of the First Amendment to the GFA General Regulations.
4. 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).