The Ghana FA Disciplinary Committee has suspended Real Bawku United for withdrawing from the GN Bank Division One League.
The Division one club failed to honour four (4) consecutive league matches (Match days 25, 26, 27 and 28) which is a breach of Article 6 & 7 of the GFA Division One League Special Regulations.
Excerpts from the Statement of Defence, signed by the club’s Board Chairman, Hon. Mahama Ayariga read, “We wish to apologize sincerely for our inability to honour the last 4 matches which was caused by circumstances beyond our control.
“Following the decision of the Disciplinary Committee to declare us losers of the matches against Berlin FC and RTU, management felt that there was no need to continue playing in the league when the team was doomed for imminent relegation, and therefore contemplated withdrawing from the league. In the midst of the uncertainty and gloom, majority of our players who are not based in Bawku summarily took a French leave and absconded to their homes in other regions of the country”.
“It was therefore not until match day 27 that we were able to gather enough players to constitute a team for us to attempt to honour our match day 28 home fixture against Steadfast FC. Even then, we were unable to honour that match even after attending the technical meeting that morning, as the official who had the custody of the playing kit could not be traced till the match officials whistled for the end of the match”, the club statement added.
Real Bawku United FC concluded their Statement of Defence that “we wish to apologize most sincerely to the GFA, the DOLB and all our opponents for the inconvenience caused, and to assure all that we are prepared to play the rest of the matches in order not to bring the game into disrepute or undermine the sanctity and competitiveness of the leagues. We hope the FA and its Disciplinary Committee and Division 1 League Board will tamper justice with mercy by allowing us to continue playing in the league to its end”.
Upon the disciplinary committee’s assessment of the case, the severest of punishment allowed under the regulations was applied to serve as a deterrent to all other clubs.
Real Bawku United FC has been suspended from the leagues of the GFA for a period of Five (5) years effective this 2015/2016 season and shall only be allowed to apply to join the Upper East Regional Football Association at the lowest league upon the Club’s fulfillment of the five season suspension.
Shareholders and Directors of the club have also been banned from all football activities for a period of five years and are expected to refund all monies the GFA has invested towards their participation in the League, including but not limited to, sponsorship amount extended to the Club by the GFA and officiating fee.
Real Bawku United FC has also been fined an amount of Fifty Thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢ 50,000.00).
