Fifa issue Ghana warning

Fifa have warned Ghana they face being referred to its emergency committee if their government does not stop interfering in football matters, the Ghana Football Association has confirmed.

The GFA revealed on their official website that they have received a letter from the world governing body giving the Ghanaian authorities a Sunday deadline to "stop their direct intervention and allow GFA to work again".

The association confirmed their headquarters were raided on Tuesday by plain-clothed officers from the country's Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), who removed nine computers and took away documents.

The action has halted all football-related activities in the country with the GFA's offices closed indefinitely.

The emergency committee has the power to impose a suspension.

A Fifa statement addressed to the GFA posted on www.ghanafa.org read: "Under these circumstances, if the Ghanaian authorities do not stop their direct intervention and allow GFA to work again before Sunday 12 December 2010, we will be obliged to refer the case to the Fifa Emergency Committee.

"This could entail all potential consequences linked to article 13 and article

17 of the Fifa statutes which clearly state that any football association must

manage their affairs independently and with no influence by any third parties or

face sanctions in case of non-compliance.

"We hope that the Ghanaian authorities will reconsider their actions and thus

avoid the deepening of a crisis which will only bring adverse consequences for

the football lovers in Ghana."

 

Posted in: Ghana,issue,warning