Hearts Rejects GFA's Arbitration Committee Positions

Accra Hearts of Oak Sporting Club, has unequivocally rejected two positions taken by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) on the unending Charles Taylor saga.

In a seven page response to the GFA's letter sent to the club, the Board Secretary of Hearts of Oak, Mr. Ernest Thompson said the two positions taken on Taylor; that is the suspension of registration of the player by Hearts of Oak and the reference of the case to an arbitration committee have been rejected by the club. The statement called on the GFA to register the player for Hearts and withdraw the letter requesting for arbitration since the Club would not take part in any such arbitration.

According to the statement, Kotoko quoted article 17 of the GFA statutes as the legal basis for their request of arbitration and instead of the GFA dismissing the request, it rather opened a fresh case for Kotoko for arbitration quoting completely different articles of the GFA's regulations.

It said the GFAs' quotation of articles 29(1) (b) and 31(2) (ix) as the basis for the suspension and the call for arbitration has been misconstrued by the FA. The statement said it is an undisputable fact that Taylor has renewed his contract with Hearts and a copy has been deposited with the GFA under article 28(3) of its regulations on March 24, 2003 and the GFA has already accepted this position by going ahead to fine Kotoko for an unlawful use of player.

The statement said Taylor has no valid reason to breach his contract adding that it is the duty of the GFA to ensure that contracts are obeyed and not rescinded simply because the player feels he can decide not to abide by the contract by merely saying that he has decided to play for another club. According to Hearts, the player in question is not a floating player but has renewed his contract for the next three years adding that in the absence of any coercion, duress or fraud, a player cannot sign a contract and then decide he has a "new intention" when the player has not even gone to the court of Law to set aside the said contract.

The statement said the case has added dimensions of criminality because a letter faxed from the offices of Kennedy Agyapong bears a forged signature of Charles Taylor and the letter from Mensah and Associates on behalf of the player imputes fraud and criminality on a noble institution like Hearts of Oak by the denial of his contract and by denying receiving any money.

The Statement further revealed that Taylor collected an amount of 50 million cedis drawn on cheque number 07000288603 as part of his payment and physically went to the Ring Road Central branch of the Social Security Bank in the company of his witness to open an account and call on those who doubted this to cross check at the said bank.