Key reforms to go before Congress

A number of reforms targeted at improving the game will be tabled before Congress of the Ghana Football Association in September.

President of the GFA, Kwesi Nyantakyi on the eve of his departure for the 2012 Olympics Games, where he is a member of FIFA's Organising Committee for the Olympics, confirmed a raft of proposed changes to the regulations of the sport body.

The Ghana Football Association has repeatedly reviewed its working document to enhance the game and at Congress, that process will continue.

Nyantakyi believes a change to the regulations would leave the game much better than the current one in use which allows for technicalities to hold up the running of football.

Setting out a programme of a continuous reform that will be discussed by members of Congress at their next meeting includes plans to introduce a unified calendar for all the leagues and competitions in the country, use of a single-judge system for the Disciplinary Committee, phased implementation of the club licensing system and a review of the award of points in certain cases when clubs file protests.

Some of the changes to be put before Congress in September are:

*The phased implementation of the club licensing system.

*The proposal to use the single-judge system for the Disciplinary Committee.

*The reduction of the time for protests in respect of inter-club matches. Clubs must lodge protest no later than 24 hours from the end of the match. Previously it was 72 hours.

*The abolition of the review system in the legal processes of the GFA.

*The introduction of distinct home and away strips for clubs.

*The introduction of a unified calendar for all the leagues and competitions in the country.

*Protesting clubs won't benefit points-wise in certain protests.