Nania Ban Inevitable

The Ghana Football Association says the decision to ban Division One side, Nania FC from continental competitions for the next three years is unfortunate but inevitable as that is the price to pay for late withdrawal from competitions.

Last Monday, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced it had banned Nania FC from international competition for three years and in addition fined $ 1,500 for their late withdrawal from this Confederation Cup.

Nania, who qualified to represent Ghana at Confederation Cup after winning the revived FA Cup, withdrew from the second-tier club competition last month, two days before they were due to host Sequence FC of Guinea in the opening round.

The club, owned by African legend, Abedi Pele Ayew, said their major sponsors pulled out of a proposed deal, leaving them without enough funds to sustain a continental campaign.

Reacting to the ban, the acting General Secretary of the GFA, Mr Emmanuel Gyimah, said the ban was very unfortunate but there was no way Nania could have escaped the punishment as it is clearly stipulatedin the CAF regulations.

“ Unfortunately, Nania’s case was made worse by the fact that it is not the first time that a Ghanaian side have pulled out from a continental tournament and at a late hour.

“ Tema Youth, Liberty Professionals, Kpando Hearts of Lions and Accra Hearts of Oak have all pulled out of the contiental competition at one time or the other and it looks like, CAF is not taking it kindly and therefore any club that tows that line, would have to be punished,” Mr Gyimah explained.

All the clubs blamed the huge financial cost involved in playing such competitions for their withdrawal.