[ 2015-04-01 ]

Dunkwa United fined GH¢1250 for misconduct
The GFA Disciplinary Committee has fined Dunkwa
United GH¢1250 in respect of their GN Bank
Division One League match against Deportivo.

The club was charged for refusing and preventing
an accredited Cameraman of the Ghana Football
Association James Atobrah to film the said match
in violation of Article 35(1)(c) and 35(7)(d) of
the GFA General Regulations.
DEFENCE

Dunkwa United in his Statement of Defence denied
liability to the charge and but did not waive
their right to personal hearing to defend the
charges against the club.

PROCEEDINGS AND FINDINGS

The Committee therefore invited Dunkwa United to
the hearing to defend itself. The Committee
examined the depositions in the Charge Sheet, the
Statement of Defence, the oral evidence of both
Dunkwa United and the GFA Prosecutor, the reports
of the match officials and the official video of
the said match.

In his oral evidence, Dunkwa United explained that
its attention was drawn to an encounter between
their supporters and the cameraman near the
official table at about 2:30pm. The club further
stated that the supporters perceived that the
cameraman had arrived with Deportivo FC to film
the match.

According to the Statement of Defence signed by
Dr. Mark Kurt Nawaane (Founder and Chairman of the
club), management took a number of decisions
because the club as well as the match officials
did not know and did not expect a cameraman for
the match. The club explained that it was too late
in the day to educate the supporters before the
beginning of the match after the Cameraman stated
that he got a late notice.

Concluding Dunkwa United stated that it is a law
abiding club and that under the circumstances its
decision to escort and protect the cameraman was
the best.

The Committee was clear in its position that the
cameraman was one of the officials for any
sanctioned match of the GFA. That as such once he
or she shows his/her identity card to the Match
Commissioner, it was not the responsibility or
mandate of any of the clubs to decide that because
he/she was not at the pre-match technical meeting
he/she would not be allowed to perform his
functions at the match.

The Committee is of the view that the GFA has the
right to assign any cameraman to any match and the
lack of notification to any of the teams can never
be used as an excuse to prevent the filming of any
match. Indeed, it is only when one of the clubs
intends to film a match that their approval must
be shown to the other club. It is important to
note that at all material time before kick-off,
the Match Commissioner is the one mandated to take
decisions concerning the match.

The Committee is satisfied that Dunkwa United has
breached the regulations of the GFA by refusing to
allow an accredited Cameraman to film the match
thereby denying the GFA and indeed, this Committee
of the footage of the match and shall accordingly
apply the necessary sanction against Dunkwa United
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 Dunkwa United with
respect to Article 35(1)(c) of the GFA General
Regulations, hereby imposes a fine of Seven
Hundred and Fifty Ghana Cedis (GH¢750.00) against
Dunkwa United in accordance with Article 35(1)(c)
of the GFA General Regulations.

2. That the Committee having satisfied itself that
the evidence adduced before it supports the charge
of misconduct against the Dunkwa United with
respect to Article 35(7)(d) of the GFA General
Regulations for escorting an accredited GFA
cameraman out of the match venue without
permission, hereby imposes a fine of Five Hundred
Ghana Cedis (GH¢500.00) against Dunkwa United in
accordance with Article 35(1)(c) of the GFA
General Regulations.

3. That the fines mentioned in Decision 1 and 2
above, shall be paid to the GFA within fourteen
(14) days upon receipt of this Ruling, failing
which Dunkwa United 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) of the
First Amendment to the GFA General Regulations.

4. 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).

Source - Ghana FA

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