Division One side Samartex fined GH¢500 for fans misconduct

The GFA Disciplinary Committee has fined Samartex GH¢500.00 in respect of their GN Bank Division One League match against Goldstars played in Samreboi.

On the first count, FC Samartex 1996 was charged for failing to control their supporters when they attempted to assault the match officials and prevented the match officials from going into the dressing room, prompting them to remain on the field of play during the half time rest period contrary to Articles 56 and 58 of the Disciplinary Code and Article 35(1)(a), 35(1)(d) and 35(10) the GFA General Regulations.

On the second count, FC Samartex 1996 was charged for failing to control their supporters during the match when they rushed on the match officials and also threw sticks to assault Assistant Referee 2 resulting in the hold up of match for about three (3) minutes contrary to Articles 56 and 58 of the Disciplinary Code and Article 35(1)(a), 35(1)(d) and 35(10) the GFA General Regulations.

DEFENCE
FC Samartex 1996 in its Statement of Defence, signed by Alex Osmond Eshun, Administrator of the club, pleaded not guilty to the charge and waived the club's rights to personal hearing and submitted a written Statement of Defence to defend the charge against the club.

PROCEEDINGS AND FINDINGS
The Committee examined the depositions in the Charge Sheet, the Written Statement of the club and the reports of the match officials of the said match.

In its defence to the first charge, the club responded as follow:

“… at the said match, players, team officials and supporters did not exhibit any offensive behaviour nor did any one act contrary to the fair play rule principle or threaten the match officials in any way as clearly stated in Article 56 of the Disciplinary Code. It must be clearly stated that at half time of the match in question, Referee R. T. Kakabo Mensah was asked by Detective Corporal Charles Dublenu (one of the 16 Policemen providing Security) to be guided to the Dressing Room and he retorted by saying and I quote ' We are comfortable here”

It is the finding of the Committee that the behaviour of the supporters did not warrant the match officials to stay on the field of play and shall dismiss this charge accordingly.

On the second charge, the club wrote as follows:
“On the 73rd minute, one of our players wearing the No. 9 jersey, Raphael Yankson, picked up a small piece of stick and from where he was standing on the field and threw it near the wire mesh inside the park. There and then, the Assistant 2 picked up the stick and signaled the Referee who collected it and walked all the way to the match Commissioner to make a complain that that stick had been thrown at him. After the match, Raphael Yankson said the stick was thrown from outside the Outer Fence of the park supposedly by someone who was 'mad' at him for missing a glaring opportunity to score. As far as the match is concerned, no stones or stick was thrown at any of the match officials before, during and after the match and so deny the charges of Article 56 and 58 of the Disciplinary Code as well as Articles 35 (i) (a), (i)(d); and (10) of the General Regulations pertaining to the incident which the officials claim to have delayed the match for three (3) or so minutes”.

The Committee holds that it will side with the presumption under Article 85 of the Disciplinary Code on the facts stated in the match report as the club failed to disprove the facts of the match report. The throwing of any objects onto the field of play is outlawed by the GFA Regulations and it does not matter whether it strike a match official or not.

The Disciplinary Committee was satisfied with the evidence before it that the conduct amounted to misconduct and a breach of Regulations of the GFA and shall accordingly apply the necessary sanction against FC Samartex 1996 in this respect.

DECISIONS
The Disciplinary Committee makes the following decisions:

1. That the Committee having satisfied itself that the evidence adduced before it supports the charge of misconduct against the players of FC Samartex 1996, hereby imposes a fine of Five Hundred Ghana Cedis (GH¢500.00) on the club in accordance with Article 39(1)(b) of the GFA General Regulations.

2. That the fine mentioned in Decision 1 above, shall be paid to the GFA within fourteen (14) days upon receipt of this Ruling, failing which FC Samartex 1996 shall automatically forfeit all subsequent matches after the said deadline in accordance with Article 15(b) of the GFA Disciplinary Code and Article 39(8)(b), 39(8)(d) and 39(8)(f) of the First Amendment to the GFA General Regulations.

3. That should any party be dissatisfied with or aggrieved by this Decision, the party has within three (3) days of being notified of this Ruling to appeal to the Appeals Committee (See Article 37(11) of the General Regulations of the GFA).