Threat To Ban: Gov’t Buckles Under FIFA Pressure! …As It Backs Down On GFA Dissolution

Isaac Asiamah

Government has backed down on steps to dissolve the Ghana Football Association following a meeting between government officials and FIFA executives in Zurich, in Switzerland yesterday, New Crusading GUIDE has learnt.

A release issued after the hurriedly arranged meeting following a threat by the football governing body to ban Ghana, stated that “The GoG shall take steps to discontinue the process for the winding up of the Ghana Football Association.”

The government officials also agreed to set up a normalization committee to run the football in Ghana until the crisis are fully resolved.

Football activities in Ghana have been brought to a standstill due to an indefinite suspension on all matches after a recent investigative documentary exposed corrupt and match-fixing activities of top officials and referees.

The deadlock necessitated the meeting between government and Fifa officials on Thursday amid fears of a looming ban over “interference”.

Below is the full statement

GHANA AND FIFA ACHIEVE BREAKTHROUGH IN FOOTBALL ADMINISTRATION

On Thursday August 16, 2018, a delegation of the Government of Ghana (GoG) led by the Minister for Youth and Sports, Isaac Asiamah (MP), and comprising the Deputy Chief of Staff, Mr. Samuel A. Jinapor, the Minister for Information designate, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah (MP), the Deputy-Attorney General, Mr. Godfred Yeboah Dame, and the head of the FIFA/CAF liaison team, Dr. Kofi Amoah, met with a delegation of FIFA officials led by its President, Mr Gianni Infantino, and comprising the Secretary-General, Madam Fatma Samoura, and other representatives of the FIFA administration.

The meeting resolved as follows:

1. The Presidents of Ghana and FIFA have committed to work together to offer leadership in reforming football administration in Ghana and in Africa;
2. That the GoG and FIFA shall work closely to eradicate corruption and malfeasance and other associated criminal conduct from the administration of football in Ghana;
3. The GoG and FIFA shall establish a joint task force to create proper disciplinary, governance and auditing mechanisms as well as ensure that persons who are found culpable are punished in accordance with Ghanaian domestic laws and FIFA statutes;
4. FIFA upon consultation with the GoG and CAF shall establish a normalization committee to replace the Executive Committee of the Ghana Football Association;
5. FIFA in consultation with the GoG and CAF shall appoint persons with integrity and competence to constitute the membership of the normalization committee;
6. Satisfied with the above measures, the GoG shall take steps to discontinue the process for the winding up of the Ghana Football Association.