case

Accra, Sept 16 - GNA - The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has appointed Mr Justice Anim-Yeboah, an Accra High Court Judge as the "Sole Arbitrator to deliberate on the transfer of players, Aziz Ansah, Joe Louis and Fuseini Adams from Great Olympics F.C. to Kumasi Asante Kotoko F.C."

A letter addressed to the two clubs and signed by Mr Kofi Nsiah, General Secretary of the GFA also named Mr Emmanuel Gyimah, a Deputy General Secretary of the GFA as the secretary to the arbitrator. While no date was fixed for hearing, the letter said the clubs "will be informed in due course the date the arbitration will take place."

The appointment of the arbitrator is sequel to a long-standing petition filed by Accra Great Olympics to the GFA over the failure of Kotoko to pay for the three players who were traded by previous administrations of the two clubs.

Mr Richard Oblitei Solomon, sitting chairman of Olympics management committee accused the former chairman, Mr Ade Coker of giving out the players to Mr Herbert Mensah's administration at Kotoko without ensuring that the team benefited from the transfers.

He said efforts by his management team to make Kotoko pay for the players or return them proved unsuccessful, compelling them to petition the GFA for redress.

Though elated at the current development Mr Solomon said the case was taking too long to settle as they had filed their petition well over a year ago. office of the chairman of the Executive Council, whose responsibility it is to convene an arbitration in such cases.

Alhaji Yusuf Adam Ibrahim, chairman of the Excutive Council told the GNA Sports in the course our investigations that it was obligatory on the Executive Council to exhaust all other avenues of peaceful resolution before setting up an arbitration panel.

He said the council would have to talk with the two clubs and see if there could be a boardroom settlement without resort to a legal arrangement. Now, with the information on the appointment of an arbitrator given, it appears the soft options considered by Alhaji Ibrahim had failed, leaving the legal option as the final one.

Aziz Ansah, Joe Louis and Fuseini Adams crossed carpet from Olympics to Kotoko when Ade Coker was under fire to relinquish the management of the "Ghanaian Blues" to a new supervisory committee due to the declining fortunes of the club.

Mr Coker bowed out shortly after trading the players and there was no record of any transaction between him and the management of Kotoko on the players, who were the best in the Olympics' set up at the time. While Aziz and Louis are still significant parts of the Kotoko regular selection, Adams struggled to hold down a regular shirt and is on loan at Brong Ahafo United.