GFA dismisses Hearts of Oak protest against Accra Great Olympics

• The GFA says Olympics cannot be blamed for Kwame Rhule's mistake

• It has suspended the player, pending further investigations

A protest filed by Accra Hearts of Oak at the disciplinary committee of the Ghana Football Association against Great Olympics has been dismissed by the committee.

After their matchday 28 fixture that ended 1-1 at the Accra Sports Stadium, Accra Hearts of Oak petitioned the GFA, questioning the eligibility of Great Olympics’ player Kwame Rhule.

Hearts in their petition argued that Rhule had falsified documents, hence was not qualified to play in the Ghana Premier League.

But in a verdict issued on Friday, July 2, 2021, the disciplinary committee stated that the petition by Hearts of Oak lacked merit and was without basis.

The disciplinary committee noted that Olympics should not be charged and that the result of their match should remain the same.

It however suspended the player in question and also charged him and Koforidua Suhyen FC who sold the player to Accra Great Olympics.

“That in accordance with Article 28(2)(b) of the GFA Premier League Regulations, Accra Great Olympics FC is not the guilty party in this instant case and the results of the Ghana Premier League match between Great Olympics FC and Accra Hearts of Oak SC shall stand.

“That the Player Koomson Bineyand/or Joshua Kwame Rhule and Koforidua Suhyen SC should be charged by the GFA Prosecutor.

“That until the determination of the misconduct cases, the registration of Koomson Biney and/or Joshua Kwame Rhule are suspended with immediate effect,” part of the statement reads.

Read the full statement below

CASE OF ACCRA HEARTS OF OAK SC

Accra Hearts of Oak SC (the Petitioner) protested against Accra Great Olympics (the Respondent) for fielding an unqualified player in the person of Joshua Kwame Rhule in their Ghana Premier League Matchday 28 match contrary to Articles 28(1)(d), 28(2)(a), 26(6) of the Ghana Premier League Regulations.

The Petitioner stated that Accra Great Olympics FC fielded an unqualified player in the person of Joshua Kwame Rhule (in Jersey #39) in the Week 28 fixture between the two sides contrary to Article 28(1)(d) of the GFA Premier League.

DEFENCE OF ACCRA GREAT OLYMPICS FC

In its Statement of Defence, the Respondent contended that the protest filed by the Petitioner lacks merit, is frivolous, malicious and should be dismissed with punitive cost. The Respondent stated that the Petitioner failed to cite the regulation under which the Respondent ought to be sanctioned even if they have breached the GFA Premier League Regulations.

The Respondent further stated that the Petitioner failed to establish a breach of Articles 26(6)and Article 28(1)(d) and Article 28(2)(a) of the Ghana Premier League Regulations which are relevant for the determination of the truthfulness and eligibility of players in the registration process. It is the case of the Respondent that the claim by the Petitioner that Accra Great Olympics FC failed to do due diligence cannot be supported considering the circumstances and facts of the player’s registration.

The Respondent explained that the GFA has put in place an electronic registration system where a club wishing to register a player must search for the player’s name from the system. The Petitioner continued that after the search, the name and picture of the player pops up to confirm that he is duly registered in the system for the club from whom the transfer request is being sought.

The Respondent added further explanation of the player registration process in accordance with Article 26(1)(b) of the Premier League Regulations. The Respondent further stated that after the submission of the registration documents and processes, the GFA’s IT Department vets the document before approval is given for issuance of the player’s license to the new club.

The Respondent stated emphatically that they went through the above-mentioned process to have the player Joshua Kwame Rhule transferred by Koforidua Suhyen SC to Accra Great Olympics FC. On the issue of concealment of material information, the Respondent stated that the Petitioner failed to prove that the Respondent ought to have known that the player used a different name with which he played for a club in Benin.

Respondent argues that their enquiries shows that the player is a player of Koforidua Suhyen, a 2nd Division Club in the Eastern Region. Respondent again stated that Accra Great Olympics FC is unaware of any registration of the player with any other club in Ghana or abroad in a name different from the name that the player was transferred to Accra Great Olympics FC.

FINDINGS AND GROUNDS OF THE DECISION

The Committee finds from the Records in the FIFA Connect Registration System as follows:

a.That Koomson Biney whose date of birth is15th May 1998, registered with Teshie Zinap FC from 1st August 2010 to 5th September 2016.

b.That Koomson Bineywas transferred to Santos FC of South Africa and from the GFA’s records and the ITC, has since not returned to Ghana.

c.That Joshua Kwame Rhule whose date of birth is 15th December 2002 registered with Koforidua Suhyen SC on 31st October 2020.

d.That Joshua Kwame Rhule was transferred to Accra Great Olympics on 1st April 2021.

e.That per the records and pictures, Koomson Biney and Joshua Kwame Rhule is the same person (player) with two registration identities in the system.

f.That player Joshua Kwame Rhule was transferred to Accra Great Olympics FC by Koforidua Suhyen SC on 1st April, 2021 where he was registered with the same details from Koforidua Suhyen FC.

g.That Koforidua Suhyen SC and the player must be charged for the misconduct.

h. That Great Olympics FC did not alter or change any details of the player as was given to them by Koforidua Suhyen SC.

DECISION

Having made the above findings from the IT Department and the Registration Systems of the GFA, the Disciplinary Committee decides as follows:

1.That the instant protest is dismissed.

2.That in accordance with Article 28(2)(b) of the GFA Premier League Regulations, Accra Great Olympics FC is not the guilty party in this instant case and the results of the Ghana Premier League match between Great Olympics FC and Accra Hearts of Oak SC shall stand.

3.That the Player Koomson Bineyand/or Joshua Kwame Rhule and Koforidua Suhyen SC should be charged by the GFA Prosecutor.

4.That until the determination of the misconduct cases, the registration of Koomson Biney and/or Joshua Kwame Rhule are suspended with immediate effect.

5.That should any party be dissatisfied with or aggrieved by this Decision, the party has within one (1) day of being notified of this Ruling to appeal to the Appeals Committee of the Ghana Football Association.