The Miners have been demoted following their involvement in match fixing scandals
Ghana Football Association has found Ashanti Gold guilty of playing match of convenience against Inter Allies during 2020/21 Ghana Premier League season
BRIEF FACTS
On 17th July 2021, Ashantigold SC played Inter Allies FC in the 2020/21 Ghana
Premier League Matchday 34 game at the Obuasi Len Clay Stadium. After the
match, there were several reports within the local and international football space that the match was fixed to fulfill a correct score of 5 goals to 1 in favor of
Ashantigold SC.
The match eventually ended in 7 goals to 0 against Inter Allies FC.
A video extract of the match circulated on various social media platforms showing a
player of Inter Allies FC scoring two own goals and also showed a lackluster attitude
of players on the field of play.
Sportradar, a Swiss based international company‟s fraud detection system, a unique
service that identifies betting related manipulation in sports globally for a number of
leagues through its vast amounts of data, reported that there was strong pre match
betting and telltale signs of fraud on the said match.
The GFA Compliance & Integrity Office together with the GFA Prosecutors
investigated the matter and in accordance with Article 34(5) of the GFA Premier
League Regulations preferred charges against the two clubs and referred
Ashantigold SC to the Disciplinary Committee.
CHARGES
Ashantigold SC was charged on three counts.
Count One
The Club was charged for a breach of Article 34(5)(a) of the Ghana Premier League Regulations (2019) for instigating, commanding, and counselling its players to play a fixed match or match of convenience between Ashantigold SC and Inter Allies FC to achieve a result in favor of Ashantigold SC, an act which the club knew or ought to have known at the time of engaging in it to be contrary to the Premier League Regulations of the Ghana Football Association
Count Two The Club was charged for a breach of Article 18(1) of the GFA Disciplinary Code (2019).
That the President and Chief Executive Officer made several calls to one, Emmanuel Nii Amoah to assist the Club to manipulate the match against Inter Allies FC to achieve their desired results, an act which has brought the game of football into disrepute.
Count Three
The Club was charged for a breach of Article 34(6)(d) of the GFA Premier League Regulations, (2019). That both teams did act together with a common purpose to manipulate the match to achieve a desired result, an act which brought the game of football into disrepute.
CLUB OFFICIALS CHARGED
Dr. Kwaku Frimpong, President of Ashantigold SC was charged for breaching Article 27(1)(2) of the GFA Code of Ethics 2019; Article 18(1) of the GFA Disciplinary
Code, 2019, and Article 34(5)(a)(b) of the GFA Premier League Regulations 2019.
Emmanuel Frimpong, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ashantigold SC was charged for breaching Article 27(1)(2) of the GFA Code of Ethics 2019; Article 18(1) of the GFA Disciplinary Code 2019 and Article 34(5)(a)(b) of the GFA Premier League Regulations 2019.
PLAYERS AND TEAM OFFICIALS CHARGED
The following players and officials of Ashantigold SC were charged for breaching
Article 34(5)(a) of the GFA Premier League Regulations:
Player Name
Jersey Number
Stephen Owusu Banahene
4
Dacosta Ampem 7
Frank Akoto 15
Agyemang Isaac Opoku 19
Amos Kofi Nkrumah 24
Eric Esso 25
Seth Osei 32
Moses Kwame 29
Solomon Afriyie 35
Player charged on three counts
Samed Mohammed –player number 32 of Ashanti Gold SC was charged on three counts for breaching Article 12(1)(b) of the GFA Disciplinary Code 2019;
Article 34(6)(d) and Article 34(5)(a) of the GFA Premier League Regulations
Team officials charged for breaching Article 34(5)(a) of the GFA Premier League Regulations
Thomas Duah – Head Coach of AshantiGold SC
Aidoo Gee Ahmed – Team Manager of AshantiGold SC
Players and Officials charged but failed to appear before the Committee
Emmanuel Owusu
Mohammed Bailou
Amos Addai
Emmanuel Owusu
Paul De Vries Asare
Nana Kwasi Darling – Sporting Director
GHANA FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION (GFA) LAWS
Article 34(5)(a) Premier League Regulations, 2019 states:
“any GFA or club official or club, or player or participant of a match who instigates, commands counsels solicits, procures, or in any manner purposely aids, facilitates, encourages or promotes the playing of a
fixed match or a match of convenience involving his club or involving
other clubs, the result of which may in one way or the other affect his club, commits a grievous offence and the offender shall be referred to
the Disciplinary Committee for appropriate sanctions”.
Article 34(5)(b) Premier League Regulations,2019, states:
“for the avoidance of doubt it shall be a misconduct for any club, club official or a player or any participant of a match to offer or to attempt to offer either directly or indirectly any consideration whatsoever to another club, or a player or to any match official, with a view to
influencing the results of any match for any club to play a match in a
non competitive spirit for the purpose of this rule the determination of
the competitiveness or otherwise of a match shall be done by the GFA Disciplinary Committee or Ethics Committee”.
Article 18(1) of the GFA Disciplinary Code, 2019 states:
“anyone who directly or indirectly by an act or omission unlawfully
influences or manipulates the course, results or any other aspect of a match or competition or conspires or attempts to do so by any means shall be sanctioned with a minimum 5 year ban on taking part in any
football related activity as well as a fine of at least ghc100,000. In
serious cases a longer ban period, including a potential lifetime ban on taking part in any football related activity shall be imposed”.
Article 27(1) of the GFA Code of Ethics, 2019 states:
“Persons bound by this Code shall not accept, give, offer, promise,
receive, request or solicit any personal or undue pecuniary or other
advantage in order to obtain or retain business or any other improper
advantage to or from anyone within or outside GFA. Such acts are
prohibited regardless of whether carried out directly or indirectly
through, or in conjunction with, third parties. In particular, persons bound by this Code shall not accept, give, offer, promise, receive, request or solicit any personal or undue pecuniary or other advantage for the execution or omission of an act that is related to their official activities and is contrary to their duties or falls within their discretion”.
Article 27(2) of the GFA Code of Ethics, 2019 states:
“persons bound by this code shall refrain from any activity or behavior
that might give rise to the appearance or suspicion of a breach of this article”.
Article 12(1)(b) of the GFA Disciplinary Code 2019 states: