The Ghana Football Association has slapped Division One League side, Phar Rangers FC, with a 5-year ban from all its competitions. The decision was announced on Wednesday by the Ghana FA via its official website after the Disciplinary Committee ruled on the matter.
The Committee found Phar Rangers guilty of withdrawing from all GFA-sanctioned activities and competitions without just cause in breach of Article 13 of the GFA’s Division One League regulations.
The Committee also banned the shareholders and directors of the club from all activities for a period of five years.
How did we get here?
On June 7, 2021, Phar Rangers wrote a letter, signed by its Admin and Operations Manager, Hamid Saaka, to the GFA saying that it had decided to withdraw from all GFA competitions including the Division One League and the MTN FA Cup on the basis that it had gone defunct.
The GFA acknowledged receipt of the letter and then, proceeded to activate the appropriate measures based on what Phar Rangers had communicated.
Thus, on June 8, the GFA prepared a draft charge sheet and it was served on Phar Rangers on June 9.
However, the club wrote back to the GFA and said that it had rescinded its decision to withdraw from all competitions but the GFA went ahead with its case and said Phar Rangers had breached Article 13 (1-4) of the Division One League regulations and Article 7 (d) of the MTN FA Cup regulations.
The club pleaded not guilty to these charges and in its defence, insisted that it had written to the GFA to announce the u-turn in relation to decision to withdraw from all GFA competitions.
The GFA then held proceedings to determine the case and it finally ruled that Phar Rangers had withdrawn without just cause and that was in breach of Article 13 (1) of the Division One League regulations.
Below is the ruling of the GFA Disciplinary Committee:
1- That the Committee having satisfied itself that the evidence adduced before it supports the charge of misconduct against the club for withdrawing from all competitions without just cause hereby finds the club guilty of the charge.
2-That having found Phar Rangers FC guilty of withdrawing from the 2020/21 Division League, the Committee hereby impose the following punishment on the club and its Shareholders and Directors:
A- that Phar Rangers FC is hereby suspended from all competitions of the Ghana Football Association for a period of Five (5) years effective this 2020/2021 football season in accordance with Article 13(3) of the Division One League Regulations.
B- that accordingly, Phar Rangers FC shall only be allowed to join the Regional Football Association league upon the return after five season at the lowest league of the region.
C- that the Shareholders and Directors of Phar Rangers FC on the records are hereby also banned from all football activities for a period of five (5) years effective from this 2020/2021 football season in accordance with Article 13(3) of the GFA Division One League Regulations.
D- that having suspended Phar Rangers FC from all competitions of the GFA, the Disciplinary Committee hereby furthers orders that the players of the club shall apply and shall be granted free agent status by the Players’ Status Committee of the GFA, free all encumbrances save the conditions attached to the transfers from their previous clubs to Phar Rangers FC.
E- that the Disciplinary Committee further orders that the suspension of Phar Rangers FC shall not relieve the club of its financial obligations which have already accrued towards the GFA or any member of the Association.
3. That the GFA and its Committees are hereby ordered that any match which that Phar Rangers FC is scheduled to play shall be considered forfeited and accordingly three (3) points and three (3) goals shall be awarded in favour of the opposing club.
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.
What about Nana Yaw Amponsah?
The current Kotoko CEO was the owner and President of Phar Rangers but he resigned from that position in August 2020 after he took charge of the Porcupine Warriors.
It is unclear if he remains a director of the club and if the 5-year ban will affect him and his work with Asante Kotoko Football Club.