Private legal practitioner, Nii Adamah Sackey has asserted that the evidence presented by the Ghana Football Association prosecutors against accused players in the AshantiGold and Inter Allies match-fixing case fell short of being conclusive.
The Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) overturned all punishments imposed by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) on 21 players who were allegedly involved in a controversial match that ended 7-0 in favor of AshantiGold at the Len Clay Stadium in Obuasi.
The CAS ruling, which came on Thursday 27th July 2023, quashed the bans and penalties handed down by the GFA’s Disciplinary Committee, bringing relief to the accused players.
🚨CAS annuls sanctions imposed on players involved in Inter Allies-Ashantigold match-fixing scandal
— Happy 98.9 FM (@HAPPY989FM) July 27, 2023
The Ghana FA has also been ordered to pay the players $7,357 with each player expected to receive $345.77 in compensation.#HappySports pic.twitter.com/VW45XPVG2Y
Reacting to the CAS decision, prominent private legal practitioner Nii Adamah Sackey known for his expertise in sports law, emphasized that a lack of irrefutable evidence played a significant role in CAS’s decision to overturn the punishments.
“The CAS ruling shows that the evidence brought forward by the GFA prosecutors was not strong enough to establish the guilt of the accused players beyond reasonable doubt. In arbitration proceedings like this, having conclusive evidence is crucial, and it appears that the prosecution failed to meet that burden.”
The controversial match in question had raised eyebrows across the nation, with allegations of match-fixing and unethical conduct surfacing. However, the lack of solid evidence seemed to have tipped the scales in favor of the players, leading to their acquittal by CAS.
As a result of the CAS ruling, the GFA has been ordered to compensate the players for their legal fees and other expenses incurred during the arbitration proceedings.
Each player involved will receive 300 Swiss Francs, totaling 6,300 Swiss Francs to be distributed among them. Additionally, Richmond Lamptey, a player from Asante Kotoko Sporting Club who was also implicated in the case, will be granted 3,000 Swiss Francs to cover his legal expenses.
The CAS verdict has undoubtedly shaken the Ghanaian football community and raised questions about the integrity of the initial investigation carried out by the GFA. With the accused players now cleared of any wrongdoing, the focus may shift towards reforming the disciplinary and investigative processes within the association to ensure fair and just outcomes in future cases.
By: Ahashie Judeliver Eli