An open letter to the GFA

I don’t know who reads this from the top hierarchy of the Ghana Football Association but nonetheless, I send you greetings. I know you might have heard this, that

……The biggest football brand in the world, Real Madrid have been thrown out of the Copa Del Rey and fined for fielding an ineligible player.

The decision comes just two days after the match. Before the ruling and sanctions were pronounced, every interested journalist, not in Spain alone, but across the world knew what the outcome would be, because the rules governing the competition were EXPLICITLY clear and published.

Also, there apparently won’t be any confusion, skepticisms, and contretemps from both clubs (Madrid and Villareal) with each knowing the regulations, obliging by it and having limitless trust in the system to take it’s course, without any feel of injustice.

Madrid is no doubt the biggest club, and in a bid to limit the shame, they might definitely appeal the decision. But the appeal will in no way lead to the suspension of the Copa De Rey or the La Liga to make way for the case to be cleared. Justice will take the course regardless of Madrid’s wealth, fan base, power and standing in world Football.

JUSTICE has been served to several top sides in the world. Juventus, Glasgow Rangers, Portsmouth to name it.

DOWN HERE: A simple case of player eligibility involving Asante Kotoko-Hearts of Oak has taken close to 4 months to be resolved. The Ghana League has delayed because of countless legal cases the GFA has failed to clear. The decision regarding Hearts of Oak’s protest against Kotoko, in that case, took close to one whole month to be pronounced. Madrid-Villareal took 28 hours. But football rules are supposed to be nearly universal across the board isn’t it? So why is one system able to interpret it rules, apply it to ensure justice regardless of who is at the receiving end, yet another system cannot simply tell their left from right, sometimes, even applying wrong rules to right cases. It beats common sense and imagination that an Association, full of lawyers, has failed on a countless number of times to interpret and apply their own rules.

Why are the Villareal fans not threatening mayhem but allowing the system to function? Why are Real Madrid fans not threatening to slit the throat of the Spanish FA president for the Copa De Rey rules?

Corruption, biases, inequality and partiality is part of every human race and presents in every system. But the ability to limit it is what distinguishes one system from the other.

I stay thousands of miles away from Spain, but I’m overly excited about how their football Association has gone about this Real Madrid matter. A decision has been taken in less than 48 hours.

Injustice, palpable corruption, lies, partiality, lack of transparency and gold bricks have filled Ghana Football to the brim, especially in recent years. Pettiness and corruption have reduced our once adored and cherished Ghana Premier League to rubbish.

Not even elementary school students love to watch the Ghana League again. Hooligans are set free, In most cases, offending clubs go scot free if they have leaders who can influence the system. Corrupt practices are so much condoned, proper planning has been locked up and the keys thrown into the sea. Even the Ghana FA’s executive committee members have no trust in their own system because they’re well aware that, INJUSTICE is the headmaster. You don’t make a league better this way.

Meanwhile, with all these obvious reasons for the decline of the Ghana League, the GFA leadership have blamed all BUT themselves for the rots in the system. The Spanish FA’s expediency in punishing almighty Real Madrid must be a lesson to all Football Associations who wants to increase and restore trust in their system. Leaders must not always be noted for their expediency in sharing monies and enjoying personal benefits at the expense of the system. Leaders must set rules, supervise and apply them when necessary. That is not the responsibility of TWI BROADCASTERS.

When the league was a hot cake for football fans in the early 80,s to the early 2000’s, you didn’t need Twi presenters to market or destroy it. Fans were entertained. Even in the absence of the mass media, people were traveling 100km to catch a glimpse of their favorite stars. They supported their teams in rain and shine but ultimately, they had faith in the system to deliver justice in the case of any eventuality. What changed? TWI RADIO?

If you operate a transparent system that limits corruption and serves justice, you’re on your way to creating an attractive product.

I am Saddick Adams, a journalist and a key member of the TWI BROADCASTERS ASSOCIATION OF GHANA. Meanwhile, I want a better Ghana League.