Division One: Holy Stars secure GPL promotion after DC ruling

Basake Holy Stars have been promoted to the Ghana Premier League after winning their protest case against Sefwi All Stars.

The two Zone Two teams filed separate protests against each other, for various conducts, ostensibly to invoke the jurisdiction of the Disciplinary Committee (DC) of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to deduct points off the other.

Basake Holy Stars initial protest

In their protest, Holy Stars accused All Stars of deliberately causing the abrupt end of the Division One League Day 26 match between the two clubs played at the Sefwi Asafo Ramos park. They alleged that pitch invasions by Sefwi All Stars officials and supporters in the 22nd and the 31st minutes led to temporary halt of the game for over 12 minutes. Holy Stars also added that various objects, sachet water, sticks, can drinks were thrown at the assistant referees. They further stated that the referee and his assistants were unable to continue the match as a result of the actions of officials and supporters of the home team (Sefwi All Stars). In view of this, Holy Stars asked the GFA Disciplinary Committee to award them the match points and sanction All Stars accordingly.

Defense of Sefwi All Stars

In their written response to the DC, Sefwi All Stars challenged Holy Stars account of the events. They insisted that the match did not end abruptly as claimed by the petitioners. According to Sefwi All Stars, the match officials refused to leave the dressing room for the second half despite an incident-free first half. In their explanation, Sefwi All Stars said that they had been informed by the security personnel on duty that the match officials had requested for additional security presence though the first half was supervised by 10 uniformed police officers.

The respondent further indicated that although they provided ten more police officers, the match officials only agreed to continue the game when it was was already late and the weather conditions were not favorable.

They attached an audio recording between the Match Officials, captains and technical heads of the two teams, the venue media officer, the GFA Cameraman and the security for the match to continue on 13/05/2024 at exactly 8:00am.

Counter petition by Sefwi All Stars

In a separate petition, Sefwi All Stars protested against Basake Holy Stars for failing to honour the continuation of the match despite an earlier agreement.

The club alleged that the match officials met with the two captains and technical heads. At this meeting, All Stars claim that it was agreed that the match would continued on Monday, 13/05/2024. However, the away team failed to honour the continuation of the match contrary to Article 83(1)(f) of the GFA Division One League Regulations, according to Sefwi All Stars. They therefore asked the GFA Disciplinary Committee to award three points and three goals in their favor, in accordance with Article 33(3) of the Division One League Regulations.

Defense of Basake Holy Stars

Basake Holy Stars responded by describing the content of the protest as an “untruth and not an actual narration of the incidents that happened during the said match.” As they indicated in their original petition, Holy Stars insisted that Sefwi All Stars were responsible for the pitch invasions, specifically mentioning its officials and supporters. They further alleged that various objects such as bottled water, canned drinks and stones etc. were thrown at the match officials by supporters of the home team.

Referee’s testimony

The match referee, Jonah Atimbisa Apientbadek, stated in his report that he and his assistants were pelted with sachets of water, yoghurt and stones by supporters of the home team. This forced him to halt the game for 5minutes before the intervention of the police to restore calm. Atimbisa added that the when the match resumed, the supporters also resumed throwing objects and in the 31st minute of play supporters of the home team entered into the inner perimeter and attacked the assistant 2 (Afful Augustine). This brought the game to a standstill for 12minutes. The referee then decided that the venue was no longer safe for the match to continue, hence, his decision to request for additional security. According to him, the reinforcement arrived at 4:46pm, yet the police officials were divided and strongly arguing amongst themselves with some ready to protect the match officials while others were not ready to guarantee their safety. After determining that their safety could no longer be guaranteed by the police officers present, he and the other officials decided to abandon the match. In order to escape the crowd and officials of the home team who were banging on the doors of the dressing room, they told both captains that the match will continue the following day. Atimbisa further indicated that at 5:26pm, a Police vehicle picked them up and took a different route after they realized that the Police pick-up vehicle was being trailed by some supporters in a taxi.

Match Commissioner’s report

In his report, the Match Commissioner Alex Azameti said that when they arrived at the Prematch Technical meeting a group of supporters led by a certain Alex (Operations Manager of Sefwi All Stars FC) gathered in front of the dressing room and threatened to kill the match officials if the away team wins the match. According to him, 22 minutes into the game, the supporters of the home team started throwing missiles (stones, caked yoghurt, sachets of water etc.) onto the pitch targeting the match officials. He further indicated the security present managed to restore peace after a few minutes and the game resumed.

However, the throwing of objects intensified in 31st minute after which some supporters entered the field of play and attacked Assistant Referee 2. The Match Commissioner stated that the situation continued even after the home team scored from a penalty kick and also continued before the half time recess. At this point, they requested for reinforcement from the security amidst death threats from the supporters of the home team. The first batch of reinforcement arrived at 4.49 pm and they were only 5 before the second batch arrived at 5.20pm including the District Commander and 2 armed Police Officers. The match officials devised a strategy that the match will continue the following day at 8.00am and invited captains and coaches of the two teams and relayed the information. This communication calmed things down after which the Police managed to bring their pick-up into the safety zone around 5.35pm to sneak the match officials out of the stadium under very heavy police escort.

Evidence from official video

The GFA’s video recording of the match proved that indeed supporters of the home team invaded the inner perimeter at will on two occasions. The DC also said that ”it was also observed that supporters attacked the assistant referee 2 leading to a hold up for minutes. That during the halftime break some supporters further heckled the match officials while they were walking to the dressing room.”

Findings

Per the DC, the case ”raises the issue of forfeiture for a violation of Article 33(1)(b) of the GFA Division One League Regulations. The relevant articles state that: A team commits an offence punishable by forfeiture of a match where that team positions itself in such a way as to render the progress of the game impossible or the player(s) or supporter(s) of the team initiate(s) an act responsible for the abrupt end of the match. After examining the match video, reports of the Match Officials, the police report, the Committee finds that by attacking the Referees in the 22nd minute, 31st minute, after the penalty was awarded, and on their way to the dressing room, supporters of Sefwi All Stars FC initiated the acts that led to the abrupt end of the match.”

The Committee also found that ”the Referee’s decision to reschedule for the next day was merely a ploy to cause tensions to go down, the only way to preserve their lives, as well as enable the fans to allow the Match Officials to exit from the stadium. If that had not been done, the chaos would have continued. That this Committee finds that the assertion by Sefwi All Stars FC that “Match Officials handled the match smoothly till end of the first half” is false and not supported by the video recording of the match. The video recording shows a number of invasions into the inner perimeter by supporters to attack the match officials which was unsporting and a violation of the regulations.”

Disciplinary Committee ruling

Having reviewed the referees report, match commissioner’s report, video footage from the events in question and the statement of defence from the two clubs, the Disciplinary Committee determined that Sefwi All Stars had violated Article 33(1)(b) of the GFA Division One League Regulations. The second part of the regulation is very instructive on the subject matter.

It simply punishes the club, the official(s) or the player(s) or the supporter(s) who
initiates the act responsible for the abrupt end of the match.

The committe therefore ruled in favor of Basake Holy Stars FC protest, while dismisisng the counter protest of Sefwi All Stars FC.

Holy Stars now have 56 points, five clear of rivals New Edubiase United, and are guaranteed to finish top of the Zone Two table.

For initiating the acts that led to the abrupt end of the match, Sefwi All Stars FC have forfeited the match in accordance with Article 33(1)(b) of the Division One League Regulations.

Having forfeited the match, Sefwi All Stars FC are also considered to have lost the match in accordance with Articles 33(2) and 34(12) and accordingly, three points and three (3) goals are awarded to Basake Holy Stars FC.

Beyond that, the Disciplinary Committee three (3) points from the club’s accumulated points from their previous matches pursuant to Article 33(5)(a) of the Division One League Regulations.

Sefwi All Stars FC have 24 hours to contest Monday’s ruling by the Osei Kwadwo Addo Committee.