Soccer News of Tuesday, 6 January 2009

Source: GNA

GFA Congress pardons Nania; reinstates Zaytuna and Mighty Jets

Accra, Jan 6, GNA - Congress, the supreme and legislative organ of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) on Tuesday granted amnesty to three clubs for instituting legal actions against the soccer governing body. The meeting at its Extra-Ordinary Session on Tuesday voted unanimously for the action which effectively re-confirmed the three clubs, Nania FC, Mighty Jets and Zaytuna United as members of the GFA. The latest decision supercedes an earlier action manifested on the three clubs by Congress at its Ordinary Session last October. The session at that time approved that Mighty Jets and Zaytuna United be stripped of their membership of the FA for taking legal actions against the latter based on Article 17.1.11.5 of the Statutes, whilst Nania FC, whose Director Maha Ayew sued the GFA had their case referred to the FA's Legal committee.

GFA President Kwesi Nyantakyi in his submission said after a careful study of the Nania case by the Legal Team, it recommended that the FA discontinue charges against the Club, (Nania) for the action of the Director (Maha Ayew) but it charged Nania to prevail upon the Director to withdraw the suit.

The notion received the overwhelming support of the meeting, based on the premise that the Club (Nania) could not be held liable for the actions of only a Director.

In the case of Mighty Jets and Zaytuna United, the GFA President said the two clubs have officially apologized to the Association through the Executive Committee on their actions, hence the need for consideration.

Officials of the two Clubs, Sammy Suker of Mighty Jets and Olloboi Commodore of Zaytuna United rendered their unqualified apologies for their conduct to the Congress before their plea was upheld unanimously except for Division One side, Starke FC of Dunkwa-on-Offin which abstained.

The two clubs were also requested to contribute fifty-percent of the cost for the session, thus 2500 Ghana cedis each to serve as a deterrent.

Kwesi Nyantakyi warned that henceforth any Club that violates Article 17.1.11.5 will be subjected to the full rigours of the law with the cessation of membership of the Association.