The GFA Disciplinary Committee has fined Wassman FC GHC500 and have warned the club's supporters to be of good behaviour for the rest of the season.
After their GN Bank Division One League match against Dwarfs FC, Wassaman FC was charged for failing to control the club’s supporters when they rushed on the match officials, verbally abused them, attempted to physically assault them, and held them hostage for about ten (10) minutes before the police rescued the match officials.
This was considered to be in violation of Articles 56 and 58 of the Disciplinary Code and Articles 35(1)(a), 35(1)(d) and 35(10) the General Regulations.
DEFENCE Wassaman FC did not send a respond to the charge even though the Charge Sheet (which was also published on www.ghanafa.org stated that: “you are required to submit your written Statement of Defence to the charge(s) on or before May 14, 2015 on or before 5pm at the GFA Secretariat or through email address to the Disciplinary Committee [email protected] failing which the Disciplinary Committee shall proceed to adjudicate the case without your Statement of Defence”.
PROCEEDINGS AND FINDINGS The Committee examined the depositions in the Charge Sheet and the reports of the match officials of the said match.
The Committee holds that it will side with the presumption under Article 85 of the Disciplinary Code on the facts stated in the match report as the club failed to disprove the facts of the match report. The Committee holds that the conduct of the supporters is outlawed by the GFA Regulations. The Disciplinary Committee was satisfied with the evidence before it that the conduct of the supporters amounts to misconduct and a breach of Regulations of the GFA and shall accordingly apply the necessary sanction against Wassaman FC 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 of misconduct hereby imposes a fine of Five Hundred Ghana Cedis (GH¢500.00) on Wassaman FC in accordance with Article 39(1)(b) of the GFA General Regulations.
2. That Wassaman 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 fine mentioned in Decision 1 above, shall be paid to the GFA within fourteen (14) days upon receipt of this Ruling, failing which Wassaman 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).