2023 Ashanti Regional Inter-school Soccer: How KUHIS lost 3 points after fielding unqualified player [Check the reasons and other rulings on 5 Cases]

Defending champions Kumasi High School (KUHIS) have lost a protest filed against them by Asare Bediako Senior High School over the use of an unqualified player during the 2023 Ashanti Regional Inter-school and College Boys’ Soccer Competition qualifiers.

KUHIS, who qualified from Group 4 with 9 points, will no longer have the opportunity to participate in the knockout stage of the competition.

The Gyinyase-based school defeated complainants Asare Bediako SHS 3-1 on Thursday, June 29, 2023. They went on to defeat Wiafe Akenten 8-0 and secured a 2-0 victory over Dadease Agric SHS at the KUMACA Centre.

However, after the qualifiers, the hierarchy of Asare Bediako filed a protest against KUHIS over the use of one player called Richmond Anokye.

The Disciplinary Committee of the Ashanti Regional Schools Sports Federation sat on the case on Thursday, July 6, 2023. After proceedings, KUHIS were declared losers. Per the competition rules, KUHIS were deducted 3 points and 3 goals and were fined GHS 500.00.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with FootydreamsGH.com,  Marino, a member of the Sports Department of Asare Bediako, revealed that their captain informed them while the game was ongoing about the ineligibility of Richmond Anokye.

Marino, who represented Asare Bediako SHS at the DC, indicated that upon hearing about that, they commenced fishing for further details about him, and later they were convinced of winning the protest.

“On Thursday, during the game, our captain drew our attention to one Richmond Anokye. After our investigations, it revealed that the player was not qualified because he completed Junior High school (JHS) in 2017 and went on to write again in 2019 and 2020, but didn’t go to school after his first sitting,” he told FootdreamsGH.com.

According to him, KUHIS indicated that the school authorities were not aware of the player’s first sitting in 2017.

“We presented the boy’s 2017 original certificate to the committee, and the representatives of KUHIS didn’t dispute the fact that the player wrote 2017 BECE. However, they said they were not aware of it.”

According to our sources, Richmond Anokye confirmed the matter to the Sports Department after Asare Bediako lodged the protest.

KUHIS will now be on 6 points, with Asare Bediako getting 8 points, therefore qualifying ahead of KUHIS.

The Facts About the Protest as presented by Asare Bediako SHS

Richmond Anokye first sat for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in 2017 at New Edubiase M/A JHS, but did not attend any Senior High School with that certificate.

He sat for the BECE examination again in 2019 at Fumso L/A JHS, but for the second time, he could not attend school with it.

In 2020, Richmond Anokye sat for another BECE at KAASE M/A JHS, and this time he got the opportunity to be enrolled at Kumasi High School.

According to FootyDreamsGH.com sources, Richmond got admission into KUHIS using the 2020 BECE certificate.

But per the competition rules of the Federation, a player has only two consecutive years grace period to participate in the soccer competition after failing to enter any SHS the year he writes his FIRST  BECE examination. The player is therefore not eligible to represent any school after the two-year time frame has elapsed.

So, in the case of Richmond Anokye, since he wrote his FIRST BECE in 2017, he should have entered senior high school at least by 2019, which he did.

But KUHIS registered Anokye with his 2020 BECE certificate, and given that he had his FIRST sitting in 2017, he does not qualify to participate in 2023 since his grace period was up to 2019.

Case 2: Nyinahin vs. SDA, Kofiase

Nyinahin Catholic won the case by unanimous decision over the usage of an unqualified player, and Kofiase lost 3 points and 3 goals and was fined GHS 500.

CASE 3: Fast Track SHS vs. Church of Christ

Fast Track SHS filed a protest of impersonation against four players of Church of Christ.

But the evidence brought forward by Church of Christ proved that all the boys were legitimate students at the school.

The verdict was that Church of Christ SHS was fined GHS 1,200 for the four typographical errors, but their points stood.

There was a counterprotest from Church of Christ SHS against Fast Track SHS, but the Case was thrown out because players who were officially protesting against Francis Bonsu Jr. and Francis Bonsu Snr. didn’t play in the said match.

However, Church of Christ went through because they had already qualified.

CASE 4: OWERRIMAN SHS VRS KSTS

Owerriman SHS filed a protest against the impersonation of Saani Rashid by KSTS.

KSTS failed to produce a photo album for inspection, which led to Owerriman playing under protest.

The Federation ruled that there will be a replay of the game on Monday at 9 a.m. at KASS. KSTS was fined GHS 500.

The qualification of KSTS has been withheld.

CASE 5: KOSS VRS NSUTAMAN CATHOLIC SHS

KOSS protested against four impersonations from Nsutaman Catholic SHS.

But KOSS failed to win the protest.

The issue was typographical errors, so Nsutaman Catholic SHS was only fined GHS 900, but points were not awarded to KOSS.

CASE 6: ADANWOMASE SHS vs. BOSOME FREHO SHS

Adanwomase filed a protest of impersonations against seven players.

Three (3) students were cleared, and the rest were typos.

Bosome Freho SHS has been fined GHS 600.00.

They participate in the competition for the first time in the school’s history.

When it will start

The 2023 Ashanti Regional Inter-school and Colleges boys’ soccer competition will start on Tuesday, July 11th, 2023 at the Baba Yara Stadium.