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Sports Features of Tuesday, 8 September 2015

Source: Justice Sarpong

Hearts Of Oak Filed An Illegal "AFUOM" Protest

At the time Accra Hearts of Oak filed its protest against Kotoko, assuming even that the GFA Article 39(5) that states a Player who has accumulated three(3)yellow cards should be suspended for the next Official GFA sanctioned competition passes on to the next team in line if the first team, in this case Berekum Chelsea doesn't file, the next team in line was Ashgold who had filed a protest on the same charge.

Hearts at this point did not have any locus to file a protest demanding three points since it was not their turn. Kotoko then played West Africa Football Academy before playing Hearts.


Hearts actually filed an illegal . protest. GFA Rule 39(5) states clearly that a Player should be suspended after accruing three yellow cards and sit out the next official match. What official match did Kotoko play after Obed's three yellow cards?

The next official match Kotoko played after Obed's three cards was with Berekum Chelsea who beat Kotoko 3-0 and find no need to protest since winning the appeal will give them three goals and three points which they already have.


The rule does not state if the team in line to file a protest did not file, then the next team can do so. It states clearly that the Player should be suspended on the next official match and Obed' suspension after the Chelsea match was fulfilled whether Berekum Chelsea filed or not because the law gave them 72 hours to file the protest and if you don't file, then you lose your right and in this case, Berekum Chelsea lost their right to appeal whether it was intentional or not. There is nowhere in the rules where this right is passed on to the next team.




The next match Kotoko played was against Ashantigold who actually filed a protest after losing to Kotoko by 1-2. In the middle of GFA Disciplinary Committee deliberations, Ashantigold wrote a letter rescinding their protest for reasons only known to them. Either they found out their protest has no legs to stand on or found out they did not need the three points to win the league Title.

Kotoko then played West Africa Football Academy(WAFA) which Kotoko lost 0-1. Once again, WAFA did not file any protest demanding three goals since they already have three points or that team too found out it has no locus against Kotoko playing Obed Owusu.


What then prompted Hearts to file a protest? Hearts was in a panic because they were on the verge of being relegated and are trying to hang on to straws even in a raging river to safe themselves.

After Hearts organized armed robbery and scare tactics failed when they invaded Kotoko Hotel, beating Players and Officials failed to scare our 'Fantabulous' "WO KUM APEM A' APEM BEBA BOYS", they then embarked on their second plan, to play the Referee as their 12th. man.

After practically playing twelve against Kotoko with the Referee only wearing the Referee attire physically but spiritually playing for Hearts and losing 1-2 to Kotoko despite a dubious penalty awarded which these second division Players in Hearts wasted.




Kotoko has many evidence to get this "afuom" verdict by Hearts constituted supporters Disciplinary Committee decision thrown out and if the Appeal committee fails to revert the six points to my darling club 'FANTABULOUS KUMASI ASANTE KOTOKO' then we will tie up the GFA in court and the 2016 league will not be played.




The ELITE cup too was an organized sanctioned competition and official so if Obed sat out after three games, he had served his suspension.




My understanding is that, GFA in March 2015 met and amended its rule. The amended rule is ARTICLE 39 SECTION 8(a) which stipulates that any fine applied to football league is also applicable to the FA and the Elite cups.

Let GFA be aware that Kotoko is not King Faisal. Kotoko is a religion amonsgt us supporters and we will not allow Pharisees from the Hearts camp to steal from us to safe themselves from relegation. Even if we win our next two matches, we will continue on with this case to get our six points restored. Hearts should learn how to win points on the field not from the boardroom.




Justice Sarpong

(CARDINAL of TRUTH)