#NCSpecial: Kotoko withdraw from Tier 1 tourney

Ghana Premier League giants, Asante Kotoko have announced withdrawal from Tier One of the Normalization Special Cup.

The Porcupine Warriors say the decision follows the Normalization Committee’s failure to grant their request for a change in venue and equitable distribution of the gate proceeds of their semifinal match against sworn rivals Hearts of Oak.

The competition’s Organizing Committee recently released a revised version of the tournament regulations where it communicated that the semifinals would be one-off games and that second-placed teams were to face the respective group (Premier A &B) leaders at the latter’s home ground. In addition, 40 percent of the gate proceeds, the NC said, would go to the hosts (AshantiGold and Hearts of Oak), with Kotoko and Karela United earmarked 30 percent respectively.

But Kotoko accused the organizers of taking arbitrary decisions saying they were not communicated to. It took two letters of petition for the Special Cup organizers to respond to the Porcupine Warriors. On Monday, they categorically informed Kotoko that their communication regarding the revised regulations remains.

And Chief Executive Officer, George Amoako explains they are exempting themselves as a result of the Committee’s zeal to force the club to play the game under conditions different from the original regulations that were spelt out before the commencement of the competition.

“Asante Kotoko SC has withdrawn from the Normalization Committee Tier One Special Competition with immediate effect,” a club statement said in reference to the NC’s response dated 3rd June 2019.

“We find the choice of venue for our semi-final match against Hearts of Oak and the sharing of the gate proceeds as against the spirit of fairness, equity and natural justice.”

“We are convinced that the two letters we wrote to seek clarification on the issues in dispute were not given the needed attention.”

“We are further convinced that our action is in good faith with genuine intentions,” the statement added.

What do Kotoko want?

Kotoko have made two requests:

– That the semi-final fixture against Hearts of Oak be played at either a neutral venue or on a home and away basis.

– And that the gate proceeds allocation to the clubs; say 40% percent each while 20% goes to the Normalization Committee.

With organizers of the Normalization Committee refusing to budge from the dictates of the revised competition regulations, Asante Kotoko have gone ahead to act on their threat of not honouring the semifinals of the Tier 1. They however state they will play their Tier 2 competition where they are scheduled to host Berekum Arsenals at the quarterfinal stage.

Ramifications

The decision means Hearts of Oak, who were to host Kotoko in the one-off semifinal at Accra Sports Stadium on June 16, get an easy passage into the grand finale.

Winner of the Normalization Special Cup Tier 1 will represent Ghana in the 2019/20 Caf Champions League which kicks off August 9, 2019. Also, the Tier 2 winners take up the 2019/20 Caf Confederation Cup slot.

 

 

Additional inputs from Kotoko Express