GFA tackles South Africa again in strongly worded response to FIFA

South Africa is demanding FIFA to investigate the referee who officiated the game

But the GFA says South Africa has no case and should be punished 

The Ghana Football Association has finally written to FIFA to respond to allegations of match-fixing claims made by CEO of the South African Football, Danny Jordan.

In the last couple of days, authorities within Ghana Football and South African football have been engaged in a war of words after the Black Stars beat Bafana Bafana 1-0 in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers Group G final game.

A penalty awarded to Ghana after Daniel Amartey was fouled in the box and which was converted by Andre Ayew has irked the South Africans who say the game was manipulated by the referee.

SAFA later lodged a complaint to FIFA, with the football governing body telling the GFA to make a response to the allegation by close of day today.

While the GFA President has already spoken strongly about the allegations, GhanaWeb has intercepted the official response from the GFA to FIFA.

In the letter, the GFA has accused SAFA of blatantly disregarding the rules of protest after the game and called on FIFA to dismiss the frivolous claims.

The GFA is also urging FIFA to impose a huge fine on SAFA for bringing the World Cup brand and the reputation of the Blak into disrepute.

The Ghana FA finally described SAFA’s protest as a fishing expedition with no merit.

Read portions of the statement below 

2. GFA’S COMMENTS 

The Ghana Football Association wishes to place the following comments on record in this matter before the Disciplinary Committee:

a. Protest not properly lodged

It is the case of the Ghana Football Associationthat the purported protest lodged by the South African Football Association (SAFA) violates the provisions of the Regulations for the competition and the Disciplinary Code of FIFA.

The purported Protest MUST have been in WRITING and lodged with the Match Commissioner after the match. This was not done. Rather an oral complaint was lodged.

Article 14(2) of the Regulations FIFA World Cup 2022 Preliminary Competition states as follows:

“Unless otherwise stipulated in this article, protests SHALL BE submitted in writing to the FIFA Match Commissioner within two hours of the match in question and followed up with a full written report, including a copy of the original protest, to be sent by email to the FIFA general secretariat within 24 hours of the end of the match, otherwise they shall be disregarded”.

It is very clear from the above mandatory provision that a written Protest must be submitted to the Match Commissioner within two (2) hours after the match at Cape Coast and this was not done by the South African Football Association.

Again, the provision demands (without fail) that a FULL written report, including a copy of the original protest, to be sent by email to the FIFA general secretariat within 24 hours of the end of the match.

It is the position of the Ghana Football Association that by 11pm of November 15, 2021, the South African Football Association was strictly expected to send to FIFA, a FULL written report, including a copy of the original protest to meet 24 hours requirement as well as the others stated in the provision. Remember that these are mandatory provision once “SHALL” was used.

Once again, from the documentation of this matter there was no original written protest to the Match Commissioner, and none was also attached to the two letters sent by the South African Football Association to FIFA because there was not none. This is because an oral complaint to a Match Commissioner is not a protest.

It is very clear from the foregoing that the purported Protest by South African Football Association does not meet the requirements of Article 14(2) of the Regulations FIFA World Cup 2022, Preliminary Competition.

This strict provision of the competition’s regulation (Regulations FIFA World Cup 2022, Preliminary Competition) finds support in Article 46(1) and 46(2) of the FIFA Disciplinary Code headed Protests:

The two provisions stipulate as follows:

46(1) “Associations and their clubs are entitled to lodge protests. Protests must reach the Disciplinary Committee in writing, indicating the relevant grounds, within 24 hours of the end of the match in question.”

46(2) “The 24-hour time limit cannot be extended. For the sake of the smooth running of the competition, the corresponding competition regulations may shorten the protest deadline accordingly”.

It is very clear that the request by the South African Football Association in their second letter that – “We will be forwarding all the relevant documents and a detailed complaint within the next 72 hours” – is misplaced and violates the clear FIFA provisions.

Consequently, we, therefore, call on the respected FIFA Disciplinary Committee to dismiss the purported protest with a punitive fine and a huge cost.

b. Failure of Payment of Protest Fee as required by the Regulations

It is also the case of the Ghana Football Association that the purported protest filed by the South African Football Association must be accompanied by the protest fee and that a request by the South African Football Association to pay the protest fee later violates Article 46(3) of the FIFA Disciplinary Code.

Article 46(3) of the FIFA Disciplinary Code stipulates as follows:

“The protest fee is CHF 1,000. It must be paid when the protest is lodged and is reimbursed only if the protest is admitted in full.”

Again, within the context of the 24 hours limitation to lodge a protest, it is very instructive that the South African Football Association failed to pay the protest fee and rather indicated that the protest fee would be paid within 72 hours.

It is the position of the Ghana Football Association that once the South African Football Association failed to pay the protest fee on or before 11pm on Monday, November 15, 2021, it rendered the purported protest void and a nullity.

On Time limits, the provisions of the FIFA Disciplinary Code under Articles 34(5) and 34(6) are very clear.

34(5) “If a time limit is not observed, the defaulter loses the procedural right in question.”

34(6) “Time limits laid down by this Code may not be extended.”

In any case, the South African Football Association has not and did not ask for any extension of time in any manner or form whatsoever. The South African Football Association rather dictatorially tells FIFA and its Disciplinary Committee when they will pay a protest file, when they will protest and when and how they want to bring any evidence or documentation.

We note that the South African Football Association arrogates to itself powers of FIFA Regulations and its Disciplinary Committee in determining when and how they want to do things outside the regulations of association football, and this must not be allowed to fester. The judicial power to grant extension of time lies in the bosom of the judicial body (here the Disciplinary Committee) and not a party to a protest.

Consequently, we therefore call on the respected FIFA Disciplinary Committee to dismiss the purported protest with a punitive fine and a huge cost.

c. Provision of No Evidence 

Notwithstanding the fact the protest was not properly lodged, we wish to comment on the content of the second letter that the South African Football Association sent to FIFA.

The South African Football Association alleges match-fixing and calls on FIFA to investigate. The South African Football Association however did not provide any evidence or ingredient to support their allegation whatsoever.

Thus, (with the utmost of respect), the South African Football Association seeks to send the respected FIFA Disciplinary Committee on a “fool’s errand” or fishing without any direction or evidence whatsoever. We daresay that the World Cup is the most serious competition and the biggest brand of the world and must not be allowed to be treated with fake allegations without prima facie evidence.

The failure to provide prima facie evidence (in fact no evidence was provided whatsoever) must be punished severely by the respected Disciplinary Committee. Reputations made over years must not be allowed to be tarnished this way. Note that no mention was made of any Ghanaian officials engaged in match-fixing, corruption or betting.

The excuse that the South African Football Association gives in point 4 of the said second letter that – We will be forwarding all the relevant documents and a detailed complaint within the next 72 hours is clearly an afterthought and must be disregarded with the contempt it deserves. The South African Football Association must not be allowed to shout WOLF and then ask for 72 hours to go and check their eyes, now go and try and find a passing wolf somewhere else to come and show us.

It is very clear that after the match in Cape Coast, the South African Football Association had no reason or evidence to file any protest within the regulations of the competition and up to the time they wrote the letters to FIFA, they still did not have any reason or evidence to give to FIFA.

Consequently, we, therefore, call on the respected FIFA Disciplinary Committee to dismiss the purported protest with a punitive fine and a huge cost.

d. Severe punishment – Tarnishing the image of the world Cup and the Team Ghana Brand

The South African Football Association has cast fake doubts on the integrity of the World Cup brand and the Black Stars sadly without any shred of evidence and this must be punished severely.

The provisions are very clear on this:

14 (8) If any of the formal conditions of a protest as set out in these Regulations are not met, such protest shall be disregarded by the competent body. Notwithstanding the above, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee remains competent to prosecute any disciplinary infringement ex officio, as established in the FIFA Disciplinary Code.

14(7) If AN UNFOUNDED OR IRRESPONSIBLE PROTEST is lodged, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee may impose a fine.

For this quest of tarnishing the image of the World cup and Ghana’s senior team without just cause, we urge the Disciplinary Committee to impose the severest fine and cost on the South African Football Association to serve as deterrent to all others. For if this is left unpunished, this will be repeated by other to the detriment of the World Cup.

CONCLUSION 

In sum, the purported protest of the South African Football Association is a hoax and an attempt to bring the brand of the World cup into disrepute and shame.

It is our considered position that the purported protest lacks merit and was instituted without evidence or any grounds whatsoever and serving only to cause annoyance to the Ghana Football Association and to tarnish the good image of the World Cup and the Black Stars.

We urge for the dismissal of this purported protest with a punitive fine and a huge cost.

Respectfully submitted.

PROSPER HARRISON ADDO, ESQ.

(GENERAL SECRETARY)