Former Chairman of the Player Status Committee of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kofi Manu says a seeming disregard for the application of the rules and regulations governing the sport in the country may cause future problems.
A Division One League match between Wamanafo Mighty Royals and Bofoakwa Tano, which was played on Sunday, March 28, 2021, saw physical assault of the match officials after the final whistle.
Home side Mighty Royals’ supporters attacked referee Niatire Suntuo Aziz and his assistants Suleman Mohammed and Yakubu Abdul Rahman, leaving them severely injured.
The GFA has since flown the match officials to Accra for medical care and sanctioned two officials of Mighty Royals FC.
The veteran administrator is of the opinion that after some fans were punished individually for committing offenses instead of their clubs suffering repercussions, it will not be right to hold clubs accountable again for fans’ misconduct.
“The FA invited a supporter (Nii Darko). Our previous rules inform that a club is held accountable for a supporter’s misconduct. The club suffers through a fine or a ban.
“Now with the direct dealing with a supporter, what is the justification that Mighty Royals from Wamanafo has to be banned for the supporter’s misbehavior?
“They now have to go to Wamanafo and locate the supporters who beat the referee and punish them. I will take the decision of Nii Darko as defence and let the FA know that by their own act that you cannot hold me responsible for the act of supporters,” he spoke on Nhyira FM.
Blue Boy, as Kofi Manu is affectionately, called on the GFA to uphold the rules that govern the association.
“I always want the rules to guide the association. People are acting as if the GFA has no rules.
“I am waiting to see how they will charge Mighty Royals from Wamanafo for an act which was committed by a supporter when the Ethics Committee has invited a supporter (Nii Darko) and sanctioned without even asking the club (Kotoko) to bring the supporter to order,” Kofi Manu added.
