Hearts refuse to play Kotoko

Hearts of Oak have emphasised that they would not play in the 2004 league championship against Asante Kotoko.

The decision, they say, is in solidarity with the position of 14 members of GHALCA who participated in the 2004 Premiership and who have severed relationship with Kotoko following the club's boycott of a Coca Cola Top 4 game and subsequent withdrawal from the competition.

In a letter to the Chairman of the Professional League Board of the Ghana Football Association, Heats Chief Executive, Mr. Thomas Okine said "the prevailing circumstance simply makes it impossible for us to betray a collective course and would accordingly not honour the said match, let alone take part in any balloting for venue as advertised earlier on".

The letter said, "we are equally constrained to reference the decision of GHALCA, of which we are a founding member to temporarily freeze all members' participation in competitions involving Kotoko". We assure you of our participation as soon as the order is varied by GHALCA", the letter concluded.