Obuasi Goldfields Sporting Club yesterday had their appeal against the decision of the Disciplinary Committee of the Ghana Football Association to penalise them in their use of an unqualified player against Berekum Arsenals dismissed. The Appeals Committee have consequently asked that Goldfields suffer the penalty of losing a total of six points and three goals plus monetary fines imposed by the Disciplinary Committee. The Committee will give reasons next week.

The Appeals Committee, chaired by a retired High Court judge, Justice Aboagye told parties to the case that the Committee had painfully dismissed the appeal filed by Goldfields and that the Disciplinary Committee's decision in the matter should not be disturbed.

The Disciplinary Committee after three sittings found Goldfields guilty of fielding an unqualified player in the person of Yaw Owusu in the club's opening league match against Arsenals on May 11, at Obuasi when he had not served out match bans imposed on him by the GFA.

The Committee therefore ruled in a 31-page document covering proceedings of the Arsenals protest, that "Goldfields are consequently declared losers of the match and in addition, they will lose three (3) points from their accumulated points and pay a fine of 2,000,000 as well as the transportation costs of Berekum Arsenals.

"Berekum Arsenals are in turn declared winners of the match with three (3) points and three goals."

Yaw Owusu was red carded for violent conduct in the penultimate league game (29th Week) of the 2002 premier league between Goldfields and Prestea Mine Stars at Obuasi on November 6, 2002. He was therefore to serve four match bans including the match in question. He served only two and according to Arsenals per their counsel, Kwame Ntow Fiako, the bans carried over into the current season and so his use in the opening game of the 2003 season contravened provisions of the GFA regulations. Goldfields won the match one nil.

Goldfields on their part, argued that Yaw Owusu was not shown a straight red card in the match against Mine Stars but two yellow cards, which carried only two-match, bans including the Mines match. He was therefore to serve only two match bans, which he had duly completed. That was the argument of Goldfields' Accra Representative Owoahene Acheampong, while Lawyer Nutifafa Kuenyehia who joined the case later as counsel for Goldfields contended that the "carry forward" punishment was illegal and that the suspension should have ended with the end of the season. Besides, Goldfields were not notified of the ban on the player at the beginning of the season. The Committee did not agree with his contentions.

With this development, Goldfields will now have 7 points from the current 13 with a one goal deficit, while Arsenals climb to the second spot with 20 points, same as leaders Kumasi Asante Kotoko who have a better goal haul. Kotoko have 13 goals while Arsenals get 8 points.

In a similar development, Brong Ahafo United now occupy the last spot on the league table of the 16-club 2003 Kinapharma Premier League with two points following a six points deduction from their build up by the Disciplinary Committee of the Ghana Football Association. The previous occupiers of the unenviable position, Okwawu United gained a valuable point in their outstanding match with Kotoko in Accra on Wednesday to bring their tally to five points. Okwawu is now second from the bottom.

B. A. United suffered the points loss after being found guilty in their use of player Daniel Bomfah against Berekum Arsenals in the third week league match, which United won by a lone goal.

United have appealed against the decision but did not apply for a stay of execution hence the PLB's decision to go ahead with the deduction. In the circumstances, Arsenals who only at the beginning of the week had 14 points were declared winners of that match and credited with three points and three goals.