Reports that the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has reduced former Ghana Football Association (GFA) president, Kwesi Nyantakyi’s life ban to 12 years, has turned out to be the hoax of the year.
Although fake news is on the rise especially with the growth of social media, it’s worrying when fake news finds its way into mainstream media.
News of reduction in the life ban sentence of Mr. Nyantakyi made its way into mainstream media this week. The vague story failed to give reasons for the alleged reduction, judges who sat on the appeal, case number of the appeal neither was there proof of the said decision by CAS either in part or whole accompanying the stories.
This prompted some lawyers and journalists to write officially to CAS for confirmation or otherwise. CAS Court office on Tuesday responded to an email by one of the lawyers with law firm Cromwellgray LLP at Cantonments in Accra. The lawyers had sought to find out if any such appeal had been lodged by Mr. Nyantakyi against his life ban sentence by FIFA and whether CAS has rendered any decision on same.
According to CAS, “The case you are referring to has been filed with the CAS but has later on been withdrawn.”
What it means is that although Mr. Nyantakyi filed an appeal, the appeal was later withdrawn which makes it mind boggling why anybody would make sports lovers believe the former GFA president has been handed a reduction to 12 years, his life ban.
The story however stated amongst others that “The ban has been reduced following a successful appeal by the former Ghana Football Association (GFA) boss.
Kwesi Nyantakyi served as GFA President for 13 years. FIFA banned him for life for breaking bribery and corruption rules in 2018.
According to FIFA, Nyantakyi also broke conflict of interest rules. Aside from the ban, he was fined 500,000 Swiss francs (£390,000).
Nyantakyi was seen in a video receiving $65,000 (£48,000) from an undercover reporter in 2018.
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