FIFA have threatened to suspend Ghana if an ongoing court case aimed at dissolving the country’s football association is not withdrawn by August 27.
The Ghanaian government imposed an indefinite suspension on all football related activities in country since June when a documentary aired nationwide revealed corruption and malpractices involving Ghana FA top officials and referees.
The authorities have submitted a petition to a high court in the capital Accra to scrap the football body’s executive committee, which has been barred access to the organization’s premises.
However, FIFA deems the move as interference in the affairs of the FA which is against its rules and regulations.
“The Bureau based on art. 16 par. 1 of the FIFA statutes decided that if the petition to start the liquidation process of the Ghana FA is not withdrawn by Monday, 27 August 2018 at 12h00 (CET), the Ghana FA will be suspended with immediate effect,” FIFA said in a letter to the Ghanaian government.
“The suspension would be lifted only once the above-mentioned petition is withdrawn and FIFA is given written proof thereof. In accordance with art‘16 per, 3 of the FIFA Statutes, if the Ghana FA were to be suspended, it may not exercise any of its membership rights (Cf. art. 13 of the FIFA Statutes).
“Furthermore, other member associations could not entertain sporting contact with the GFA. We thank you for taking note of the above.”
A two-man liaison committee was put in place two months ago to oversee football activities in the country but local observers argue that the team might not be able to resolve the current impasse in the country’s football.
A suspension could affect Ghana’s game against Kenya in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers of next month, the hosting of the 2019 Women’s Afcon and the Black Maidens’ participation in the 2018 Fifa Women’s U17 World Cup.
