King Faisal Deducted Three Points After Dwarfs Protest

King Faisal has been deducted three points after the GFA Disciplinary Committee upheld a protest filed by Ebusua Dwarfs in respect of their GN Bank Division One League Match day One game which was scheduled for the Baba Yara Stadium on Saturday 21st February, 2015.
 
Dwarfs (the Petitioner) protested against King Faisal (the Respondent) for:

Failing to provide adequate security in respect of its Week One DOL match against the Petitioner rendering the progress of the game impossible contrary to Articles 10(1) and 10(2) of the GFA Division One Special Regulations and Articles 34(1)(b) and 34(2) of the GFA General Regulations.

Dwarfs who were the away team in the said match have been awarded three points and three goals with King Faisal also losing three (3) points from the club’s accumulated points from previous matches.

The Committee also fined King Faisal after it was satisfied that the Kumasi based club had flouted the GFA’s regulations.

In its Statement of Defence filed on February 27, 2015, the Respondent contended that the Protest against it was without merit and ought to be dismissed as the club did not violate Articles 10(1) and 10(2) of the Division One League Special Regulations of the Ghana Football Association.

However, The Disciplinary committee made the following findings after the statements from the petitioners and the respondents:

1. That the Respondent stated at the Pre-match Technical Meeting that it shall provide a minimum of ten (10) uniformed Police personnel to offer adequate security for the match which was agreed to by all present.

2. That as at the time the two teams were ready to march to the field of play, there was not a single police personnel present at the stadium.

3. That at kick off time, the match officials refused to commence the match without police presence.

4. That upon the refusal to commence the match without the security personnel, at about 3:09pm, the Respondent provided two (2) uniformed police officers.

5. That at 3:30pm two more police officers arrived at the match venue, leaving the number at four police personnel.

6. That there was no further addition to the number of police officers at the match venue, prompting the match official to call off the match at 3:41pm.

The Committee therefore, makes the following decisions:

1.That for failing to provide adequate security for the match and thus, positioning itself in such a way to render the progress of the match impossible, King Faisal FC shall forfeit the match in accordance with Article 34(1) of the General Regulations of the GFA.

2. That having been found to have forfeited the match, King Faisal FC shall be considered as having lost the match in accordance with Article 34(12) and accordingly, three (3) points and three (3) goals are hereby awarded in favour of Cape Coast Mysterious Dwarfs SC in accordance with Articles 34(2) and 34(10) of the General Regulation of the GFA.

3.That in addition, being the defaulting club, King Faisal FC shall lose three (3) points from the club’s accumulated points from previous matches pursuant to Article 34(5)(a) of the General Regulations of the GFA (note that this Article does not deduct any goals from the accumulated goals of the defaulting club).

4.That in addition, being the defaulting club, King Faisal FC is hereby fined Two Thousand Five Hundred Ghana Cedis (GH¢2,500.00) payable to the GFA, 50% of which shall be paid to Cape Coast Mysterious Dwarfs pursuant to Article 34(5)(a) of the General Regulations of the GFA.

5. That in addition, being the home club, King Faisal FC is hereby ordered to pay an amount of Five Hundred Ghana Cedis (GH¢500.00) as the transportation expenses of the away team, Cape Coast Mysterious Dwarfs SC payable to the GFA which shall be paid to Cape Coast Mysterious Dwarfs pursuant to Article 34(5)(a) of the General Regulations of the GFA.

6. That the fine mentioned in Decision 4 and 5 above, shall be paid to the GFA within fourteen (14) days upon receipt of this Ruling, failing which King Faisal FC shall automatically forfeit all subsequent matches after the said deadline in accordance with Article 39(8)(b) of the First Amendment to the GFA General Regulations.

7. That should any party be dissatisfied with or aggrieved by this Decision, the party has within three (3) days of being notified of this Ruling to appeal to the Appeals Committee of the Ghana Football Association. (See Article 37(11) of the General Regulations of the GFA).