GFA to ban Players, Refs found Betting for one-year

The Ghana FA has revealed its decision to sanction players, referees and club officials found guilty of betting on local league games.

The aforementioned stakeholders of the local game will attract sanctions including a GHS5,000 fine and a ban of at least one year if found guilty.

The GFA’s Executive Council has also promised to reward any whistleblower with evidence on match-fixing with a sum of GHC50,000.

“As organizers of the Premier, Division One and Women’s Premier League the Ghana Football Association takes responsibility for the successful organization of the League. The GFA must also ensure that the competition is clean, fair, credible and free from any dent that may cause disaffection for the product,” the GFA said in a statement.

“The reward package is in addition to other plans, mechanisms and investigations currently ongoing to protect the sanctity and integrity of the game,” the GFA said.

“The Executive Council at their meeting noted that match manipulations and betting by people in football requires a multifaceted approach to deal with – hence the cautious, pragmatic, exhaustive and painstaking approach. While recognizing the fact that match manipulation cases across the world take a lot of time, the Council urged the GFA judicial bodies to dedicate more time and urgency to ensure that such cases are speedily adjudicated.”

The GFA Disciplinary Committee is yet to release its findings on last season’s Ghana Premier League match between AshantiGold and Inter Allies, which is suspected to have been fixed considering the two deliberate own goals scored by Hashmin Musah against his club in the 7-0 defeat on July 17, 2021.