Ghana FA bans Division One club Phar Rangers
The Ghana Football Association has slapped Division One League side, Phar Rangers FC, with a 5-year ban from all its competitions.
The decision was announced after the Disciplinary Committee found the second-tier side guilty of withdrawing from all GFA-sanctioned activities and competitions without just cause in breach of Article 13 of the GFA’s Division One League regulations.
The Committee also banned the shareholders and directors of the club from all activities for a period of five years.
Phar Rangers were charged for misconduct by the Ghana FA after it withdrew from all competitions from the association, forcing the Ghana FA to activate regulations on the club’s withdrawal with immediate effect.
However, the club fell short of providing a just cause for its decision to withdraw from the country’s second-tier league.
The club rescinded its earlier decision to withdraw following an intervention by the Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA) – the welfare body of all football clubs in the country after 48 hours.
But that did not stop GFA from going ahead to charge the club for breach of Article 7 (d) of the GFA FA Cup regulations, 2021 for failing to give “satisfactory reason” for the withdrawal from the 2021 FA Cup Competition.
Below is the ruling of the GFA Disciplinary Committee:
1- That the Committee having satisfied itself that the evidence adduced before it supports the charge of misconduct against the club for withdrawing from all competitions without just cause hereby finds the club guilty of the charge.
2-That having found Phar Rangers FC guilty of withdrawing from the 2020/21 Division League, the Committee hereby impose the following punishment on the club and its Shareholders and Directors:
A- that Phar Rangers FC is hereby suspended from all competitions of the Ghana Football Association for a period of Five (5) years effective this 2020/2021 football season in accordance with Article 13(3) of the Division One League Regulations.
B- that accordingly, Phar Rangers FC shall only be allowed to join the Regional Football Association league upon the return after five season at the lowest league of the region.
C- that the Shareholders and Directors of Phar Rangers FC on the records are hereby also banned from all football activities for a period of five (5) years effective from this 2020/2021 football season in accordance with Article 13(3) of the GFA Division One League Regulations.
D- that having suspended Phar Rangers FC from all competitions of the GFA, the Disciplinary Committee hereby furthers orders that the players of the club shall apply and shall be granted free agent status by the Players’ Status Committee of the GFA, free all encumbrances save the conditions attached to the transfers from their previous clubs to Phar Rangers FC.
E- that the Disciplinary Committee further orders that the suspension of Phar Rangers FC shall not relieve the club of its financial obligations which have already accrued towards the GFA or any member of the Association.
3. That the GFA and its Committees are hereby ordered that any match which that Phar Rangers FC is scheduled to play shall be considered forfeited and accordingly three (3) points and three (3) goals shall be awarded in favour of the opposing club.
4. That should any party be dissatisfied with or aggrieved by this Decision, the party has within three (3) days of being notified of this Ruling to appeal to the Appeals Committee.
Meanwhile, the current Kotoko CEO was the owner and President of Phar Rangers but he resigned from that position in August 2020 after he took charge of the Porcupine Warriors.
It is unclear if he remains a director of the club and if the 5-year ban will affect him and his work with Asante Kotoko Football Club.