31 October 2008
editorial
The Ghana Football Association (GFA)congress is reported to have sacked both Zaytuna United FC and Mighty Jets from the association for dragging the former to court. According to the FA, the two clubs breached article 17, sub sections 2 and 5 of its constitution.
If the above provisions in the constitution of the FA bar members from taking football matters to court, then we have no cause to challenge the decision.
We however, think whilst the FA is not happy with members dragging it to court, it must equally ascertain why despite this provisions in their constitution, members have refused to respect it and rather prefer to settle football matters in the law courts.
Is it because these clubs have lost faith in the ability of the FA's own internal Disciplinary arrangements?
Time and again, club chairmen have complained about decisions of the FA's Disciplinary Committee (DC), which is made up of eminent lawyers.
The Chronicle believes that the DC should be empanelled by jurists who also have the game of football at heart.
As the adage goes, there is no smoke without fire, but there is something definitely wrong with the settlement procedure that has been put in place by the Football Association, which must be addressed. The FA must also be bold to take decisive decisions, irrespective of who is involved.
In 1993, Olympique Marseille, the most decorated club in French football history and one of Europe's elite clubs, was stripped of the UEFA Champions league title and their President, Bernard Tapie was jailed, after the club was found to have been involved in match fixing.
This is one of the landmark decisions that Ghanaians expect the FA to take, but we are yet to see that happen in the country.
Hardly would a season pass without one club or the other complaining about certain decisions that have been taken by the FA, which they are not happy with.
We therefore call on the FA to play a fatherly role in all matters by being objective with cases that are brought before it for adjudication, in order to gain the confidence of the clubs.
It would be wrong to hide behind article 17 of the FA constitution to cheat the so called smallclubs, though this is not to suggest that both Zaytuna and Mighty Jets were cheated.
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