GFA hits Kotoko with transfer ban, GH¢207,800 in fine and compensation

The Ghana Football Association have slapped Ghana Premier League side Kumasi Asante Kotoko with a fine of GH¢207,800.

The club has also been banned from doing any domestic transfer business in the next window for constant breaching of the Regulations on Status of Domestic Transfer of Players.

Four players including Matthew Kelvin Andoh, Stephen Tetteh Aryiku and Evans Owusu petioned the Players Status Committee of the GFA on Asante Kotoko’s unilateral termination of their contracts.

The four players sought for the PSC to rule on the clearing of their outstanding signing on fees and salaries.

The Player Status Committee subsequently ordered Kotoko to pay all four players a total amount of GH¢207,800 in fines and compensation.

“Article 16(4) of GFA RSDTP states that: with regards to a club in breach of contract or found guilty of inducing a player to breach a contract during the protected period, in addition to the obligation to pay compensation, sporting sanctions shall be imposed on such a club. It shall be presumed, unless the club can prove the contrary, that any club signing a professional who has terminated his contract without just cause, has induced the professional who has terminated his contract without just cause, has induced the professional to commit the breach.

“That club shall be banned from registering any new player(s) domestically for one registration period in addition to a fine of not less than Ghc5,000.

“Unfortunately, this is not the only instance of this nature that has come before the PSC regarding the Respondent Club. It is therefore necessary to apply the full sanctions to act as a deterrent to any similar action, by any club, in future.

“a. The Respondent Club shall be banned from registering any new player(s) domestically for the next registration period, and

“b. A fine of Ghs 10,000 shall be imposed on the Respondent Club for the numerous instances of abusive breach in this regard,” part of the ruling stated.

The Porcupine Warriors have been given 14-days to pay the fine.