The GFA Disciplinary Committee has fined Tarkwa United an amount of GH¢ 1250 after their Club Secretary, Mr. Doe Mustapha was charged for refusing and preventing an accredited Cameraman of the Ghana Football Association, Emmanuel Adjei to film their GN Bank Division One League match against Starke FC.
Mr. Doe Mustapha’s actions was adjudged to have breached Article 35(1)(c), 35(2) and 35(7)(d) of the GFA General Regulations and was charged with one (1) count.
DEFENCE Although Mr. Doe Mustapha was charged and was also published on the GFA website and on various media platforms {per Article 37(19) of the General regulations} clearly stating that Mr. Doe Mustapha was to submit his written Statement of Defence before 5pm on or before March 22, 2015 at the GFA Secretariat, Mr. Doe Mustapha failed to respond to the charge.
Again, Mr. Doe Mustapha failed to attend the Disciplinary Committee sitting when he was invited by the Committee. Again, the GFA website and other media platforms also posted the invitation per Article 37(19) of the General Regulations.
PROCEEDINGS AND FINDINGS The Committee examined the depositions in the Charge Sheet and the GFA Prosecutor, the reports of the match officials of the said match. The Committee was clear in its position that the cameraman was one of the officials for any sanctioned match of the GFA. That as such, once he or she shows his/her identity card to the Match Commissioner, it was not the responsibility or mandate of any of the clubs or its officials to decide that he/she would not be allowed to perform his/her functions at the match.
The Committee is of the view that the GFA has the right to assign any cameraman to any match and the lack of notification to any of the teams can never be used as an excuse to prevent the filming of any match. Indeed, it is only when one of the clubs intends to film a match that their approval must be shown to the other club. It is important to note that at all material times before kick-off, the Match Commissioner is the one mandated to take decisions concerning the match.
The Committee is satisfied that Mr. Doe Mustapha has breached the regulations of the GFA by refusing to allow an accredited Cameraman to film the match thereby denying the GFA and indeed, this Committee of the footage of the match and shall accordingly apply the necessary sanction against Mr. Doe Mustapha, the Secretary of Tarkwa United and the club in this respect.
DECISIONS
The Disciplinary Committee makes the following decisions:
1. That the Committee having satisfied itself that the evidence adduced before it supports the charge against Doe Mustapha of Tarkwa United with respect to Article 35(1)(c) of the GFA General Regulations, hereby imposes a fine of Seven Hundred and Fifty Ghana Cedis (GH¢750.00) against his club Tarkwa United in accordance with Article 35(1)(c) of the GFA General Regulations.
2. That the Committee having satisfied itself that the evidence adduced before it supports the charge of misconduct against Doe Mustapha of Tarkwa United with respect to Articles 35(2) and 35(7)(d) of the GFA General Regulations for preventing an accredited GFA cameraman to attend the match without permission and denying the GFA Committee of the use of the video of the said match, hereby imposes a fine of Five Hundred Ghana Cedis (GH¢500.00) against Tarkwa United in accordance with Article 39(1)(b) of the GFA General Regulations.
3. That the fines mentioned in Decision 1 and 2 above, shall be paid to the GFA within fourteen (14) days upon receipt of this Ruling, failing which Tarkwa 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.
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).