Ashanti Gold Sporting Club based in Obuasi and plays in the Ghana Premier League Shall be demoted to the Division Two(2) league after being found guilty of match manipulation in their 2020/2021 Ghana premier league match day 34 game against Inter Allies FC.
This decision was made by the Ghana Football Association Disciplinary Committee this morning and it will take effect from the 2022/2023 league season.
FACTS
On 17th July 2021, Ashantigold SC played Inter Allies FC in the 2020/21 Ghana
Premier League Match-day 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 tell tale signs of fraud on the said match.
SANCTIONS
After a thorough investigations by GFA Disciplinary Committee, Ashantigold Sporting Club as a corporate entity , at the end of the 2021/22 Ghana Premier League season,
Ashantigold SC shall be demoted to the Division Two League in accordance with Article 6(3)(h) of the GFA Disciplinary Code 2019 and shall pay a fine of GHc100,000.00 in-accordance with Article 6(1)(c) and Article 6(4) of the GFADisciplinary Code 2019.
The President of Ashantigold SC Dr. Kwaku Frimpong is banned from taking part in any football-related activity for a period of 120 months in-accordance with Article 34.5(d)(i) of the Ghana Premier League Regulations2019 and a fine of One hundred Thousand Ghana Cedis (GHc100,000) is imposed on Dr. Kwaku Frimpong in accordance with Article 34.5(d)(ii) of the Ghana Premier League Regulations 2019.
Also the Chief Executive Officer of Ashantigold SC Emmanuel Frimpong is banned from taking part in any football-related activity for a period of 96 months in accordance with Article 34.5(d)(i) of the Ghana Premier League Regulations 2019 with a fine of Fifty Thousand Ghana Cedis (GHc50,000) imposed on
Him in accordance with Article 34.5(d)(ii) of the Ghana Premier LeagueRegulations 2019 .
That the Head Coach of Ashantigold SC Thomas Duah is banned from taking part in any football-related activity for a period of 24 months in accordance with Article 34.5(d)(i) of the Ghana Premier League Regulations
2019 .
That the Team Manager of Ashantigold SC Aidoo Gee Ahmed is banned from taking part in any football-related activity for a period of 24 months in-accordance with Article 34.5(d)(i) of the Ghana Premier League Regulations 2019.
That the underlisted players of Ashantigold SC are hereby banned for 24 months each in accordance with 34.5(d)(i) of the Ghana Premier League Regulations 2019.
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
Moses Kwame 29
Solomon Afriyie 35
That Samed Mohammed, Player number 32 of Ashantigold SC is hereby banned for 30 months in accordance with Article 34.5(d)(i) of the Ghana Premier League Regulations 2019.
That Seth Osei, Player number 33 of Ashantigold SC is hereby banned for a period of 30 months in accordance with Article 34.5(d)(i) of the Ghana Premier League Regulations 2019.
That the underlisted players and official of Ashantigold SC who were invited but failed to appear before the Committee are hereby banned for 48 months each in accordance with Article 34.5(d)(i) of the Ghana Premier League Regulations:
Emmanuel Owusu – Player
Mohammed Bailou – Player
Amos Addai – Player
Paul De Vries Asare – Player
Nana Kwasi Darling – Sporting Director
That all above-mentioned sanctions shall commence from the 2022-23 League season.
This decision shall be communicated to FIFA to be given international application in accordance with the GFA Disciplinary Code and FIFA Disciplinary Code considering that a number of players are now playing in clubs outside the jurisdiction of the Ghana Football Association.
