« FIFA cannot ban Ghana » – Foh Amoaning
Accra, June 7, GNA- Mr. Moses Foh Amoaning, a lecturer at the Ghana School of Law, has said contrary to reports and fears that, the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA), cannot not ban Ghana from participating in football competitions in the future.
He said FIFA did not have the mandate by law to ban Ghana, as the power to manage and control the affairs of the country resided in the people and Ghana’s sovereignty as a country.
Mr Amoaning in an interview with GNA Sports on Thursday, said football was an aspect of many things done in Ghana, and that could not be controlled by any other authority, citing that; « Is FIFA not a registered company under Swizz law? ».
There have been fears in the public domain of the country being at the risk of receiving a FIFA ban, especially after government’s decision to take steps to disband the Ghana Football Association (GFA) on Thursday night.
« FIFA is a football association, we can choose to join them or not. Football was first introduced in 1903, long before FIFA was formed. They can’t ban Ghana, under what law? Ghana as a country has sovereignty. The sovereignty resides in the people of this country, which they’ve entrusted to the government to run things », he said.
He said so long as the football association was regulating football within the territory of Ghana, the government had the right to deal with it, if it thought something had gone wrong.
Mr. Amoaning added that, it was for the same reason why FIFA could not ban US after its law enforcers had stormed FIFA’s headquarters to arrest its officials for allegedly committing acts of corruption, why the world football governing body could not also ban Ghana.
« Why is it that when America invaded and arrested their officials, they (FIFA) did not ban America? The crimes that were allegedly perpetrated in the expose, were committed in Ghana, he said ».
Following the premier of the much awaited investigative piece by ace journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas on football in Ghana and Africa, the feeling amongst people has been mixed with anger the most shared.
It was in response to that, the government announced on Thursday night its decision to have the GFA disbanded, along with all football related bodies, teams, and competitions with Ghana a part of.
This decision by government would have serious implications on the country’s football activities, as there is a likelihood the Premier League would be halted, with local clubs and all other national football teams, temporarily rendered inactive.
