Asante Kotoko have been temporarily banned from the use of the Baba Yara Stadium, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has announced.
The decision, taken by the GFA Executive Council, follows fan fury that marred the 2019/20 Ghana Premier League match-day 3 encounter between the Porcupines and Berekum Chelsea on Sunday.
A GFA statement Monday night reads:
“Following incidents at the Baba Yara Stadium during Asante Kotoko’s Premier League match with Berekum Chelsea on Sunday, the GFA Executive Council has decided to temporarily ban Asante Kotoko from playing its matches at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium pending the adjudication of the matter by the GFA Disciplinary Committee.
“The GFA Executive Council at its meeting on Monday, January 13, 2020, decided to trigger the provision of Article 14(2) of the GFA Premier League Regulations.
“Article 14 (2) of the GFA Premier League Regulations states that: “the GFA may order the closure of any league centre/venue where the safety of clubs, match officials and/or spectators cannot be guaranteed.”
“The GFA Prosecutor shall prefer charges against any person/party found to have breached any provision of the GFA Regulations or Disciplinary Code.”
A section of Kotoko fans during the game resorted to pelting missiles at match officials after referee Charles Bulu rightly sent off defender Empem Dacosta with a second yellow card.
An off-the-ball incident saw the centre-back deliberately stepping on an opponent. But the fans got upset because they felt Dacosta was the wrong player as there was another altercation on the field between Kotoko’s Kwame Adom Frimpong and an opponent.
But referee Bulu took his decision correctly following communication from his fourth official who spotted the Dacosta incident from close distance.
Kotoko eventually lost the game 1-0 courtesy a Kofi Owusu strike in the 7th-minute.
The disappointed Kotoko fans continued to register their displeasure after the match and that ended up with the shooting of a fan – one Augustine Oppong, a Tafo-based driver.
