IN THE DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE GHANA FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION CORAM 1. Prosper Harrison Addo, Esq. - Chairman 2. Eva Okyere, Esq. - Vice Chairperson 3. Osei Kwadwo Addo, Esq. - Member 4. W.O.1 J. W. Amoo - Member 5. Alex Kotey - Member Emmanuel Newton Dasoberi - Secretary IN ATTENDANCE James Nyarko - G Mpuasuman United FC Baafi Yeboah - G Mpuasuman United FC Daniel Asante - W. Nea Salamina FC Nana Sarfo Oduro - W. Nea Salamina FC Opoku Thomas - W. Nea Salamina FC Protest Case: No. A - 52-2017 G. MPUASUMAN UNITED FC vrs W. NEA SALAMINA FC - PROTEST IN RESPECT OF THEIR MATCH DAY 16 GN BANK DIVISION ONE LEAGUE MATCH PLAYED AT DORMAA PROCEEDINGS In accordance with Article 41(5) of the Statutes of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Division One Special Regulations and Articles 37(10)(a) to 37(10)(d) of the GFA General Regulations, the Disciplinary Committee (hereinafter referred to as the Committee ) considered the depositions from G. Mpuasuman United Football Club (hereinafter referred to as the Petitioner ) and W. Nea Salamina Football Club (hereinafter referred to as the Respondent ) together with all the supporting attachments and the reports of the match officials. SUMMARY OF FACTS CASE OF G MPUASUMAN UNITED FC G Mpuasuman United FC (the Petitioner) on Wednesday, June 14, 2017 filed a protest against W. Nea Salamina FC (the Respondent) for: a. refusing to change their goalkeeper s jersey or strip; and b. using an unregistered strip; in their GN Bank Division One League Zone 1 Match day 16 match played at Dormaa on Saturday, June 10, 2017 contrary to Articles 17(1)(a), 17(1)(d), 34(1)(i), 34(1)(j) and 34(4)(b) of the GFA General Regulations.
The case of the Petitioner was that during the pre-match technical meeting, it was found that the strip of the goalkeeper of the Respondent (Blue top) clashed with the jersey of the outfield players of G Mpuasuman United FC (blue top). According to the Petitioner, the match officials ordered that the goalkeeper used his Alternative Strip. The Petitioner alleges that at the time of inspection, the referee informed the goalkeeper to change into the alternative strip but that the goalkeeper refused and rather placed an orange bib on top of the blue jersey, giving it a different combination which was not registered with the GFA by his club and had no number at the back of the strip. The Petitioner attached photographs of the jerseys used and the Protest case of Techiman City FC vrs Techiman Eleven Wonders FC to its petition as documents it intended to rely on. The Petitioner consequently, prayed that: a. W. Nea Salamina FC should forfeit the match, b. G Mpuasuman United FC be declared winners of the match, and c. a fine be imposed on W. Nea Salamina FC. DEFENCE OF W. NEA SALAMINA FC The Respondent in its Statement of Defence to the Protest stated that the protest has no merits and ought to be dismissed. W. Nea Salamina FC stated that the club did not violate any of the GFA regulations. According to the club, at the pre-match technical meeting the strip of the outfield players of the Petitioner clashed with the strip of the goalkeeper of W. Nea Salamina FC because they were both blue in colour. The club stated further that the alternative strip of their goalkeeper was presented, which was red. The club stated that the goalkeeper s Alternative Strip (Red) also clashed with the Official jersey for the outfield players of W. Nea Salamina FC, which was also Red in colour. According to the Respondent, with both official and alternative strips of the goalkeeper clashing with either the outfield players of the away team or the home team, W. Nea Salamina FC had to comply with the instructions of the referee to combine the blue with the orange bib presented in order for the match to proceed. The Respondent quoted a Misconduct Case GFA vrs Accra Hearts of Oak SC dated July 25, 2016 on obeying the referee s instruction on strips. The Respondent consequently, prays that the Disciplinary Committee dismisses the protest and allows the result of the match to stand. REPLY TO STATEMENT OF DEFENCE BY G MPUASUMAN UNITED FC The Petitioner maintained its claim that W. Nea Salamina FC had violated the regulations. The Petitioner also stated that it was not aware of any directive by the referee for the bib to be placed on top of the blue strip of the goalkeeper s strip. The Petitioner alleged that the alternative strip was what was ordered by the referee and for refusing to wear it, the Respondent had acted in breach of the regulations governing the game since the blue and orange combination was not registered by the Respondent and is thus, could not be used.
FINDINGS AND GROUNDS OF THE DECISION The Petitioner stated that the Respondent should suffer forfeiture for allowing its goalkeeper to wear an unregistered strip in violation of Articles 17(1)(a), 17(1)(d), 34(1)(i), 34(1)(j) and 34(4)(b) of the GFA General Regulations of the GFA. The Committee finds as follows: 1. That at the pre-match technical meeting, the strip of the outfield players of W. Nea Salamina FC (Home Team) comprised a red top and red shorts while the strip of the outfield players of G Mpuasuman United FC (Away Team) was made up of a blue top and white short. There was therefore, no clash there. 2. That at the pre-match technical meeting, the strip of the goalkeeper of W. Nea Salamina FC (Home Team) was a blue top while the strip of the outfield players of G Mpuasuman United FC (Away Team) was blue top and therefore, there was a clash. 3. That the Match Official ordered the goalkeeper to change his top (Regular Strip) to the Reverse Strip top. 4. That the Reserve Strip of the goalkeeper of W Nea Salamina FC was also made up of a Red Top and thus, also clashed with the strip of the outfield players of W. Nea Salamina FC (Home Team) which comprised a red top and red shorts. 5. That the goalkeeper of W Nea Salamina FC therefore, wore an orange bib over the blue top to distinguish him from both the outfield players of the home team and the away team. The evidence before this Committee is very clear and undisputed; that the goalkeeper of W Nea Salamina FC did not wear both the Official or the Reserve strips at the match but a combination of orange and blue due to referee instruction. The regulation states under Article 17(1)(a) of the General Regulations as follows: Each club shall register with the GFA, Official and Reserve strips in distinct colours on forms prescribed by the GFA before the commencement of each season. In addition the club shall submit to the FA an exact pictorial replica of the registered strips, showing the front and back. Clubs shall appear in their official strip in all official matches. It is the finding of this Committee that W Nea Salamina FC complied with the regulations and registered their strips with the Division One League Board. It is also the position of this Committee that the match officials were right in the application of Article 17(1)(d) of the GFA General Regulations when there was the initial clash of strips. Article 17(1)(d) of the GFA General Regulations states as follows: Where the clash affects the goalkeeper s strip and the outfield players strip, the goalkeeper shall change to an alternative strip. Any clash occurring between the two goalkeepers the away team goalkeeper shall change.
However, this regulation did not save the day since the Alternative Strip (Red) of the goalkeeper of the home team also clashed with the strips his own outfield players (Red). It must be noted that the referee was left with no other regulations to apply at this point than common sense. It is our view that even taking insights from Article 17(1)(b) of the General Regulations of the GFA combining the strips could not help the situation, since any combination of the Official or Reserve strip resulted in one form of a clash or another: Article 17(1)(b) of the General Regulations states as follows: In the event of a clash between the visiting team s official strip and the home team s official strip the former shall change to its Reserve Strip or combination of the official and Reserve strips. It is very clear to this Committee that the colours of the two teams presented a very unique situation for the goalkeeper which the match Referee had to deal with in order for the match to commence. This Committee finds that at this point, both clubs had complied with the regulations on trips and yet, both Article 34(1)(i) and Article 34(1)(j) of the General Regulations of the GFA had been rendered ineffective. As the match could not proceed with a goalkeeper whose jersey colour clearly clashed with that of the outfield players of either team, it was apparent that the referee had to give further directions to resolve the situation. Article 34(1)(i) of the General Regulations of the GFA reads: A team commits an offence punishable by forfeiture of a match where it plays in a strip that is not registered with the Association in an official match. Article 34(1)(j) of the General Regulations of the GFA reads: A team commits an offence punishable by forfeiture of a match where it plays in a strip that is not presented to the match officials before the start of the match. The match referee must however find a solution to the problem under his/her match management responsibilities in order for the match to commence. It is therefore our holding that the ordering of the goalkeeper of W Nea Salamina FC to use the bib by the match referee was legitimate and a team cannot be held responsible for such a decision in an impossible situation. It has long been decided by this Disciplinary Committee in the Misconduct Case of GFA vrs Accra Hearts of Oak SC dated Monday, July 25, 2016 that: As clubs are well aware, in accordance with Article 17 of the GFA General Regulations and the Laws of the Game in this matter, the referee s directive is supreme and no club or Match Commissioner or official of the Association have the right to undermine the directive from the referee aimed at resolving the clash of the strips. This Committee is of the view that a deliberate failure to obey a directive of the referee on strips is calculative and may lead to confusion in the match This Committee is not about to change its earlier position on this matter save to add that unless, there is a clear provision of the GFA Regulations to the contrary, clubs must obey the directives of the referee on these matters.
It is therefore, the holding of this Committee that the Protest of G Mpuasuman United FC shall fail since W Nea Salamina FC was only following the legitimate instructions of the referee to resolve a confusion which could not be resolved with the provisions of the GFA General Regulations. It is the view of the Committee that the instant case presents a cogent argument for amendments to the regulations for more clarity. Perhaps a simple statement in the regulations to the effect that a goalkeeper s strip must be of a different colour from both the official and reserve strips of outfield players may suffice. DECISIONS The Committee therefore, makes the following decisions: 1. That the Protest of G Mpuasuman United FC is hereby dismissed. 2. That there shall be no award to cost. 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 of the Ghana Football Association (See Article 37(11) of the General Regulations of the GFA). Prosper Harrison Addo, Esq. Chairman, Disciplinary Committee (A) Friday, July 7, 2017