Division One League club, Unity FC’s attempt to get points deducted from Nsoatreman FC’s total tally for the season hit a brick wall this week, meaning the Sunyani-based club get to keep their place in the Ghana Premier League for next season.
Nsoatreman beat Tamale City FC 2-1 after extra time in the Division One League Zone One playoff at the Accra Sports Stadium to book a spot in the GPL, after the two teams finished the season dead level on points and head-to-head stats.
However, their place in the top flight was threatened after fellow DOL club, Unity FC filed a complaint at the GFA, accusing Nsoatreman of failing to submit their audited accounts for the year before the just-ended campaign, a requirement for all participating clubs.
Unity FC argued that such a breach of the rules is punishable by the forfeiture of a match, and urged the GFA to deduct the points Nsoatreman won against them and award them the points instead.
Had their case been successful and their reliefs granted, Nsoatreman would have fallen behind Tamale City on the league table and forfeited their place in the GPL.
Nsoatreman described Unity FC’s protest as “vexatious and unmeritorious which ought to be dismissed” in their defence.
The club insisted that it “submitted its audited accounts to the Club Licensing department of the GFA” and also presented a copy of the accounts in its response.
The GFA found that “after a reminder sent to the Club on 11th November 2021, Nsoatreman FC submitted its audited accounts for the 2020/21 League season on 11th January, 2022″ which was indeed after the start of the season.
The FA’s Disciplinary Committee ruled that Unity FC’s protest, which was filed by Unity FC at 5:35 pm on Monday, 13 June 2022 was “out of time” and would not be considered.
The FA also added that ironically, Unity FC also failed to submit their audited accounts for the 2020/21 league season despite a reminder being sent to the club on 11th November 2021.
“The legal principle of ‘he who comes to equity must come with clean hands’ is applicable,” the GFA added scathingly in its statement.
A fine of GHS1,000 was also handed to Unity FC.
