Punishing violence: ‘You will go and play at the away team’s venue’ – GFA tells clubs
Fifa is not happy, Caf is not happy. You will go and get a bigger punishment when you take us there, says the GFA.
Prosper Harrison Addo - GFA General Secretary
After hogging the headlines worldwide for the wrong reasons, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) says it is coming up with more stringent punishment for clubs with respect to the ever-growing incidents of violence in domestic competitions.
One of such is making the perpetrating club, among multiple sanctions, play specified subsequent home matches at the away teams’ venue.
The past weekend recorded yet another case of spectator violence in the ongoing Division One League (DOL).
Referee Niatire Suntuo Aziz – together with assistants Suleman Mohammed and Yakubu Abdul Rahman – were subjected to severe physical assault by home fans after Bofoakwa travelled to hold Wamanafo Mighty Royals to a 1-1 draw – a match that was supposed to be played behind closed doors.
The Confederation of African Football (Caf) reacted by strongly condemning the ‘completely unacceptable’ act of violence and called for a full investigation and report on what transpired.
Speaking at a GFA/SWAG Media Capacity Building Programme in Kumasi on Thursday, April 1, General Secretary Prosper Harrison Addo stated:
“Currently, we’ve taken a position that if you commit violence at your home grounds and for which reason the ground is banned, all your home matches will be played at the home of the away teams.
“I think that is fair. You will go and play at the away team’s venue.”
He continued: “But we are not going to use that alone, it will come with all the other things – the sanctions and everything.
“Currently, where we are with this thing [match violence], maybe clubs don’t know, Fifa is not happy, Caf is not happy. So when we punish you and you take us there, you will go and get a bigger punishment.
“They [Fifa and Caf] are really annoyed this day and age and the kind of behaviour some of our people put up.”
The DOL, earlier in the season, recorded violent incidents in a match between Nsoatreman and Real Tamale United at Baffour Sports Complex as well as at the Ejisu Park where Wassaman United hosted Star Madrid.
The Ghanaian topflight also recorded its shameful case when a behind-closed-doors match between Elmina Sharks and Medeama SC at Nduom Park was marred at the end by home fans. The case is still pending at the GFA.
