FIFA Threatens Ghana Ban as Government Continues Interference on Football Activities

World’s football governing body, FIFA, has threatened the Ghanaian government over its plans to liquidate Ghana Football Association following the revelation of a video showing corruption by the investigative journalist, Anas Aremeymaw Anas.

The Secretary-General of FIFA, Fatma Samoura in a signed and released statement on August 13, 2018. said the football governing body was particularly concerned about the undue influence exerted by the government over the affairs of the GFA, in clear violation of FIFA statutes.

Part of the statement reads, ”Under these circumstances, the Bureau based on article 16 paragraph 1 of the FIFA statutes decided on 11 August 2018 that if the petition to start the liquidation process of the GFA is not withdrawn by Monday, 27 August 2018 at 12h00 (CET), the GFA will be suspended with immediate effect.

It went further to say ”The suspension would be lifted only once the above-mentioned petition is withdrawn and FIFA is given proof thereof”.

FIFA Threatens Ghana Ban as Government Continues Interference on Football Activities

Tasked with the responsibilities to hold discussions with FIFA in order to avert the ban, the head of the government liaison team was addressed directly in the letter. All local football activities have been canceled by the Ghanaian government.

A High Court in Accra placed an injunction on the activities of the GRA on June 12, 2018, in response to an application from the nation’s Attorney General.
After the release of the investigative hit piece exposing corruption on the part of match officials by the journalist Anas, all football-related activities have been suspended since June.

The GFA president, Kwesi Nyantakyi who was caught in a video for allegedly receiving kickbacks. He was a member of the CAF and FIFA committees. As an investigation continues on those allegations, he has been suspended from all football activities.