Ghana Premier league suspended until determination of Ashgold suit
The Ghana Football Association has announced the suspension of the Ghana Premier League until the determination of a court case on October 14, 2022.
This follows a Motion on Notice for Injunction filed yesterday at the Human Rights High Court by Ashantigold SC and served on the GFA's lawyers yesterday afternoon.
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Following the receipt of the Motion, the Association has decided to put the league on hold until the determination of a Motion on Notice for Injunction by the court on October 14, 2022.
The GFA has subsequently communicated this decision to all sponsors, partner and clubs.
"The Association wishes to urge all stakeholders - sponsors and partners and clubs who have invested in the league, players whose livelihood depends on the league, match officials, administrators, officials and supporters of the league and the clubs to remain calm," the GFA said in a statement.
"The Association will endeavour to seek redress for the prompt return of the Premier League and ensure that the calendar is not further disrupted in this world cup year".
The Premier League was scheduled to enter Matchday 4 this weekend.
Background
Division Two side Ashantigold SC also has another pending suit against the GFA at the Human Rights Court in Accra.
The club has sued the GFA for infringing on the rights of the club, its players, and officials in the GFA's Disciplinary Committee's ruling on May 16, 2022, on their match against Inter Allies.
Ashantigold were demoted to Division Two by the GFA after they were found culpable of match-fixing and manipulation in the said match. This followed the club's involvement in match-fixing in the 2020/2021 Ghana Premier League match day 34 game with Inter Allies who had been relegated at the time of the said match.
A fine of GHS100,000 cedis was imposed on the club by the Disciplinary Committee.
Ashgold defeated Inter Allies 7-0 with two comical own goals scored by Hashmin Musah and some questionable defending.
The President of Ashantigold, Dr. Kwaku Frimpong was handed a 10-year ban from all football-related activities with his son and CEO Emmanuel Frimpong also slapped with an 8-year ban.
Players of Ashantigold and Inter Allies also received various bans from the GFA. However, The Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) last temporarily lifted the sanctions pending the final hearing of the case.
Subsequently, the suspensions imposed on Alex Aso, Felix Abuska, Mohammed Zakari, Shaibu Taufiq, Fard Ibrahim, Richard Acquaah, Eric Esso, Amos Kofi Nkrumah, Stephen Owusu Boahene, Kwame Moses, Empem Dacosta, Frank Akoto, Isaac Opoku Agyemang and Solomon Afriyie, were lifted immediately.
Other players freed were Mohammed Bailou, Emmanuel Owusu, Samed Mohammed, Paul Asare de Vries, Amos Addai, Abdul Kadir Mohammed and Isah Ali.
A global football welfare body FIFPRO, on August 1, launched the appeal on behalf of 21 of the 27 players at CAS through the Professional Footballers Association of Ghana (PFAG) - seeking for stay of execution of the ban - until a decision was finally reached.
As it stands now, the players can be engaged and earn salaries until the substantive case is heard.
If the accused players are found guilty, the ban will be upheld.