The trouble with Ostarine: Jimmy Wallhead’s
16th March 2018
Features
FIFA bans former Ghana FA President for life
The Adjudicatory Chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee has banned Kwesi Nyantakyi, former President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), for life for breaches of its Code of Ethics. Nyantakyi resigned as President of the GFA in June, after he and other football officials were accused of accepting corrupt payments following an investigation by journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas.
As a result of the allegations, the government dissolved the GFA. Nyantakyi later admitted accepting money from journalists posing as members of the Qatari Royal Family, but denied that the money was for corrupt purposes and argued that he was set up by journalists.
‘The adjudicatory chamber found Mr Nyantakyi guilty of having violated art. 19 (Conflicts of interest), art. 21 (Bribery and corruption) and art. 22 (Commission) of the FIFA Code of Ethics, 2012 edition’, read a FIFA statement. ‘As a consequence, Mr Nyantakyi is banned for life from all football-related activities (administrative, sports or any other) at both national and international level. Additionally, a fine in the amount of CHF 500,000 has been imposed on Mr Nyantakyi’.
The two year investigation by Anas Aremeyaw Anas involved over 100 individuals who are alleged to have been involved in over 150 corrupt payments. It included on-field officials, who were alleged to have taken corrupt payments ahead of Ghanaian Premier League, Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League games and international matches.
In July, the CAF banned eleven referees for terms ranging from two years to life. On 5 August, another eight referees were banned for terms ranging from ten years to life, and another 14 referees were provisionally suspended. On 8 September, another six referees were banned for ten year terms, and the provisional suspension of eight referees was lifted (the decisions are available in PDF format below).
On 27 August, FIFA appointed a ‘normalisation committee’ to administer football in Ghana, following the government’s decision to dissolve the GFA. Its mandate expires either when the GFA has been returned to compliance with the FIFA Statutes, or in March 2019.
