GFA WARNED
…Risks Losing Integrity Post-Anas #12 Over Inaction On PSC Decision
Accra based Colts football club, Phobia Babies SC, has warned that the Ghana Football Association risks “a major setback in its modest attempts to restore the integrity of the sport post the Anas #12 expose.”
The GFA is yet to enforce the Player’ Status Committee’s (PSC) ruling of 18th May, 2018 which upheld Phobia Babies’ application to compel the Right to Dream Academy (RtD) and Sporting Club Accra to include it in the claim of Training Compensation and FIFA Solidarity in respect of the transfer of footballer Kamal Sowah from Rtd to Leicester City. The PSC found Sporting Club and Right to Dream guilty of “discrepancies in the date of birth of the player.”
Accordingly, the clubs were ordered to share the total amount of training compensation of €261,425, with Phobia Babies SC entitled to €78,427.5, Sporting Club Accra entitled to €78,427.5 and the Right to Dream Academy’s entitled to €104,570. But in a saga that has lasted over a year and seven months, Phobia Babies SC stated that the GFA’s lack of action to enforce the PSC’s decision does not bode well for the fight to restore the image of football, a letter dated 29th October, 2019 said.
“Rather, unfortunately we cannot fathom the inability of the GFA to enforce this decision leading to another brazen act of disrespect, which if not handled well, will be a major setback to the modest attempts so far made to restore the integrity of the sport, post-Anas’ Number 12,” the PBSC letter stated.
“Leicester City unaware of the data manipulation by Sporting Club Accra and the Right to Dream Academy, after paying the €261,425 to RtD, again deposited another €30,000 through GFA to Sporting Club.” RtD’s unsuccessful fight back RtD tried unsuccessfully to overturn the decision by the PSC first at the Appeals Committee on 4th May, 2019 and later at the Review Committee on 31st May, 2019, because in both instances it had “filed woefully out of time.”
They were supposed to file an appeal within 3 days of the PSC decision. Further, in an email to the PSC on 4th June, 2018, RtD said it disagreed with the PSC’s calculation of the training compensation. “Whilst we fully support and agree with the decision of the PSC regarding the registration period of the player, we must point out errors in the calculation of training compensation under 9 of the decision.” “Training compensation is calculated in accordance with the periods a player was registered with a club, in accordance with the Player Passport. Further, training compensation is limited to €10,000 per year for the first 4 years from 12 to 15 years of age when registering for a category 1 UEFA club, and €90,000 per year thereafter.”
According to RtD’s calculation, it is due €237,233 while Sporting Club is due €24,192 of the total training compensation. But RtD failed to inform the GFA it had already received its share of the funds from Leicester City FC. Despite letters from the GFA – on 5th April, 2019 and on 20th September, 2019- to return the amount received from Leicester City, RtD has failed to comply.
“You are kindly requested to return the amount received from Leicester City FC as training compensation on player Kamal Sowah to the GFA Account (find attached) on or before Tuesday, 16th April, 2019 to enable the Accounts Department of the Ghana Football Association share the amount as directed per the decision of the Player Status Committee dated 18th May, 2018,” stated a letter signed by a Deputy General Secretary of the GFA, Ismaila G. Amin on 5th April, 2019.
Test case for Kurt Okraku’s new GFA
Formed in 1992, Phobia Babies SC were champions in the Accra West District Football Association’s U-17 football league in the 2010-2011 and 2017-2018 seasons. The little known club has fought tooth and nail in its quest for justice at the highest level of Ghana football, but its story only gained prominence following the New Crusading GUIDE’s publication of Monday, 16th December, 2019. It is a case that has lasted three GFA administrations, starting first with the Kwesi Nyantakyi administration in May, June 2018, through the Normalisation Committee and currently the Kurt Okraku led GFA. It will be seen as a test case for the new GFA administration as it seeks to bring back the love to the beautiful game.
Stay tuned
