GFA cautions against unlicensed agents

Accra -- The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has warned clubs to desist from dealing with Ghanaians who parade themselves as licensed FIFA player agents, since no Ghanaian resident has been granted a licence to operate as such.

A statement by Mr Kofi Nsiah, General Secretary of the GFA said it is forbidden to deal with unlicensed persons or agents and therefore advices all clubs not to deal with such persons. He said it had come to the notice of the association that a number of people were parading themselves in football circles as player agents or managers, while others were purported to be holding the players' "Card A."

Mr Nsaih said FIFA frowns on such acts and wished to draw the football fraternity's attention to the regulations governing the status and transfer of players. Act 14 of the regulation states that, "All contracts for transfer of players should be conducted by the two clubs and the player involved and not by any individuals."

Mr Nsaih said Act 15 also states, "that amount of compensation mentioned in Act 14 shall be agreed upon between a player and his former team or between a third party and the former club regarding the amount of compensation shall be disregarded."

He further quoted Act 18 of the FIFA Player's Agent and Match Agent regulations, "any club wishing to engage the services of a player shall negotiate only with the player himself or a player's agent licensed under the terms and conditions of the these regulations," to buttress his point.

Mr Nsaih said clubs that violate these laid down regulations may face sanctions spelt out under Act 19 which includes: reprimand or caution, suspension of all or parts of its management bodies, a fine and an interdiction to carry out national or international football activity. He said any person who wished to become a FIFA Licensed Player Agent should contact the GFA.