Controversy Over Status of Muntari

Alhaji Abdul Karim Grunsah, Chairman Premier League side King Faisal, has appealed to the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to reverse the status of Sulley Mantari to his club.

Alhaji Grunsah said, "Sulley Muntari is a bona fide player of King Faisal and I want him back to my team or Liberty should come and negotiate with me."

Sulley was signed at the beginning of this season by Liberty Professionals from unsung, Owariman of Konongo and has since sold him to Udinese in the Italian first division for an undisclosed fee.

The soccer financier said he bought Sulley from Stadium Youth Club (SYC) a colts' team in Kumasi and the player was used by Owariman without any discussions with him.

He said though Owariman claimed they registered the player in 1995 they failed to validate his form ever since, while Owariman was indeed not involved in any competition at that time.

"There was no competition in the Asante Akim District so Owariman could not have registered Sulley when he was only 11 years old.

Alhaji Grunsah said he contested the status of the player in the Ashanti Region but the Regional Football Association (REA) ruled against him without recourse to the statutes.

He said though the Ashanti Regional Football Association status committee is made up of five people, only two, Mr Antwi Gyamfi and Mr Issaka Alhassan met and deliberated on the issue and submitted a report, dismissing his claim.

"There was no quorum when the RFA ruled against my claim, that is why I have brought the case to the Appeals Committee. I want justice. It is not a small case at all."

At the GFA, Mr Julius Onyameama, Deputy General Secretary, Administration and Finance confirmed they have received an appeal on the status of Sulley from King Faisal. He did not however say when the case would be heard.

Sulley was an instant hit in the Satellites team, which played in the finals of the African and World Youth Championships in Ethiopia and Argentina respectively, early this year. He was linked with a million pound transfer to Manchester United but the deal fell through and he remained on the pay roll of Liberty until he joined Udinese in the Italian Calcio last week.