The GFA Disciplinary Committee has fined Starke FC Club Secretary Siiba Adams GH¢500 and banned for two matches after invading the field of play without authorization to challenge the decisions of the match officials resulting in the holdup play in their GN Bank Division One League match against Dunkwa United.
Mr. Adams’ action in the said match on 15th March, 2015 was deemed to have breached Articles 56 and 59 of the Disciplinary Code and Article 35(1)(a), 35(1)(d) and 35(10) the GFA General Regulations.
DEFENCE Siiba Adams in his Statement of Defence pleaded not guilty but did not waive his rights to personal hearing. He was therefore granted his right to personal hearing at the Committee sitting.
PROCEEDINGS AND FINDINGS The Committee examined the depositions in the Charge Sheet, the Statement of Defence, the oral evidence of the GFA Prosecutor, the reports of the match officials and the official video of the said match.
In his Statement of Defence, Siiba Adams stated that the referee was biased in favour of the home team whose supporters forced their way into the field of play to drag an injured player of Starke FC from the field of play. He stated further that the referee looked on in spite of the constant complaint to the Match Commissioner. He also claimed that even though seven (7) minutes additional time was shown by the 4th referee, the referee played over 20 minutes.
Siiba Adams further stated that “I could not continue to watch when the referee had completely lost control of the match including the match commissioner who could only say we should have patience…. I stepped on the field with my CEO who is also part of the technical team to complain to the referee why he has played over 20 minutes and allowing the home supporters to always invade the pitch and drag injured players off”.
Siiba Adams insisted that he did not invade the field to harass the referee.
The Disciplinary Committee was satisfied that Siiba Adams’ conduct in going into the field of play to confront the referee amounted to a breach of the regulations and shall accordingly apply the necessary sanctions against him in this respect. It is worth noting that Clubs are jointly liable for fines imposed on its players and officials (see Article 15(b) of the Disciplinary Code of the GFA.
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 with respect to Articles 56 of the GFA Disciplinary Code Article 35(1)(a), 35(1)(d) and 35(10) the GFA General Regulations against Siiba Adams and hereby imposes: a. a fine of Five Hundred Ghana Cedis (GH¢500) against him in accordance with Article 10 of the GFA Disciplinary Code. b. a ban from entering a stadium or park for two (2) matches commencing from the date of receipt of this Decision.
2. That the fine mentioned in Decision (1a) above, shall be paid to the GFA within fourteen (14) days upon receipt of this Ruling, failing which Starke 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 of 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).