You are here: HomeSportsSoccer2003 03 05Article 33601

Soccer News of Wednesday, 5 March 2003

Source: GNA

Tudu Mighty Jets Cry Foul

Beleaguered Tudu Mighty Jets Football Club whose court action against the Ghana Football Association (GFA) caused the delay in the commencement of the Division One League, are on the verge of yet another legal tussle with the GFA.
The club has protested against what they term conspiracy, unfair treatment and collaborative attempts by "their detractors" to relegate the club to division Two.
Mr. James Bode Oyedeji, General Manager of the Club, told a press conference in Accra on Monday that there is a glaring conspiracy by some of "our competitors and detractors through a grand subtle design to relegate our club to the lower division league".
The Tudu club topped Zone 3A at the end of the abridged league on 19 points but are now left with virtually no point after four clubs - A. C. Olympiakos, Real Sportive, Diamond Stars and King Solomon - protested against Jets for fielding unqualified players in their matches.
Mr. Oyedeji said the club has worked so hard to qualify for the Sub-Middle League but for "unexplained reasons, other than mere jealousy, we are now confronted with an unprecedented situation of being relegated".
He said the treatment by the disciplinary committee is unfair since, Olympiakos protested against them without any proof.
Mr Oyedeji said as a result, the Tudu club has become a "treasure island", where clubs, which, protest against them, are given the points, adding, "this is an unfair treatment by the Disciplinary Committee".
The General Manager said they have filed an appeal at the Appeals Committee of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) against all the four protests, and expressed the hope that, justice would be done in the interest of Ghana soccer.
He said if champions are relegated through boardroom decisions, the beneficiary will be comparatively of a lower quality and the league would lose its competitiveness, making the country the loser.
"We are not litigants and we want that erroneous impression to be erased from the minds of all," Mr Oyedeji said.
"If justice is not heeded, we shall be compelled by circumstances beyond our control to petition the appropriate personalities including the Chairman of the GFA, the Executive Council Chairman, Chairman of the Division One League Board and the Minister of Youth and Sports to seek redress," he added.
The club, however, warned that if all the appropriate channels of redress fail, the it would be compelled to resort to court action.