Sekondi Eleven Wise have been fined an amount of GH¢4000 and their supporters warned to be of good behavior for the rest of the football season.
The GFA Disciplinary Committee charged the Club with one (1) count as per the Charge Sheet in respect of the GN Bank Division One League match played between Sekondi Eleven Wise FC and King Faisal FC.
Eleven Wise FC was charged for failing to control the club’s supporters, including Tony Quaye and one Darko after the Pre-match Technical Meeting, when the supporters attacked the players and officials of King Faisal FC and chased them out of the Essipong Sports Stadium resulting in injuries and loss of properties to King Faisal players and officials in violation of Articles 35(2), 35(7)(d) and 39(7) of the GFA General Regulations.
DEFENCE Sekondi Eleven Wise FC in its Statement of Defence requested for a personal hearing to defend the club against the charge levelled against the club.
PROCEEDINGS AND FINDINGS The Committee examined the depositions in the Charge Sheet, the oral evidence and the reports of the match officials of the said match.
In the club’s evidence to the Committee, the officials of Sekondi Eleven Wise FC apologised for the wrongful actions of the supporters and stated that they had even called Alhaji Grunzah concerning the incident. Officials of Sekondi Eleven Wise FC further explained that they had left the Pre-Match meeting before the incident happened and did not have the opportunity to intervene as expected. They therefore prayed the Committee to temper justice with mercy.
The Committee takes notice of the admission of the charge but also finds that the behaviour of the supporters of Sekondi Eleven Wise FC is prohibited by the GFA regulation and shall accordingly attract the necessary sanction, notwithstanding the fact that two of the supporters were said to have been arrested by the Ghana Police Service.
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”.
The Committee urges that the criminal aspect of the matter must be pursued to its logical end by Eleven King Faisal FC. 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 and violence against the supporters of Sekondi Eleven Wise FC, hereby imposes a fine of Four Thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢4,000.00) on Sekondi Eleven Wise FC 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 Sekondi Eleven Wise 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 of the amount of Four Thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢4,000.00) to be paid to the GFA by Sekondi Eleven Wise per Decision 1 above, the Committee hereby orders the GFA to pay an amount of Three Thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢3,000.00) of the fine to King Faisal FC as partial compensation for the club’s medical bills and the items which were lost.
4. That Sekondi Eleven Wise FC and its supporters are hereby warned to be of good behaviour and that should the club be found guilty of any misconduct or violent behaviour during the rest of 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).