Ghana FA to consult government before responding to FIFA over commission

Published on: 21 July 2014
Ghana FA to consult government before responding to FIFA over commission
Ghana made a first round exit from the 2014 World Cup

By Ameenu Shardow

Follow on Twitter @alooameenu

The Ghana FA will consult the government before responding to FIFA this week over its initial enquiries about the setting up of a Presidential Commission to look into the Black Stars’ failed bid at the 2014 World Cup.

FIFA wrote to the Ghana FA last week fearing that the government's decision to set up the commission, which is a law court, violates its regulation of non interference in the administration of the game by governments.

This could lead to ban on the country if it found that government is interfering in the administration of the game in the country.

In its bid to avoid a ban on Ghana, the GFA says it will consult government before responding to the FIFA query sent to the federation last week Thursday.

“We will be making an official response to the FIFA letter sometime this week,” Ghana FA spokesman Ibrahim Sannie Daara told Hot FM.

“The GFA President has had talks with the Sports Minister to reach an understanding on the work of the commission before we brief FIFA accordingly.

"It is important that we are on the same page with government to avoid any further problems with FIFA. We will brain-storm again with government before we respond to FIFA.

"Let it be clear that the GFA is to open to any investigation and we must do it in such a way that it would not attract any sanctions from FIFA.

"I am confident we will find the right balance to ensure that everything is perfect."

Ghana President John Mahama through a Constitutional Instrument (CI) had elevated the status of an initially set up three-member committee into a commission with the powers of a High Court to look into Ghana’s shameful exit from the tournament staged in Brazil.

The commission will be working on an almost similar terms of reference as that of the committee which was earlier set up by the Sports Ministry.

It will however be walking a very tight rope with portions of the revised terms touching of strictly football related issues.

The first two of the revised terms of the commission is to look into: “The preparations of the Ghana Black Stars for the tournament and lapses which might have caused the early exit of the team from the tournament and the management of the Black Stars team and events in their camp during the tournament.”

The Ghana FA who had earlier wholly welcomed the committee and stated their preparedness to cooperate with the body now appear uncomfortable with the committee’s elevated status into a commission with the powers of a High Court – meaning the body is now armed with an ammunition of subpoena’s.

FIFA last week through its monitoring of the situation in Ghana wrote to the Ghana FA to seek detailed information about the latest developments following the committee’s elevation into a commission.

The world governing body fears the elevated powers could be used to interfere into strictly football related issues – which is vehemently prohibited by its statutes.

The response from the Ghana FA would certainly guide FIFA’s next line of action and a possibility of a ban on Ghana once it is convinced of any level of state interference.

The GFA says they will be sending the all-important response to FIFA this week following a meeting with the Sports Minister Mahama Ayariga.

There is meanwhile a desperate cry by majority of the Ghanaian public of a high level of accountability from all the players in Ghana’s shameful first round exit from the World Cup and all other undesirable issues fallouts from the tournament.

The Black Stars slumped to a disgraceful first round exit from the World Cup saddled with issues of player indiscipline and agitation for their appearance fees.

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