DOL Chairman descends on GFA

Accra, Dec 31, GNA - Mr Douglas Djaarbeng, Chairman of the Division One League (DOL) Board, has called on the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to overhaul the administration of Regional Football Associations (RFA) to stop once and for all the sorry state of organisation of the games at that level.

He said his organisation was currently beset with many problems, which emanated from the lower leagues because most RFAs and their sub bodies that ran those leagues were not properly constituted and were sometimes bias in their decisions.

"Most of the people in the RFAs have turned themselves into tin gods and their decisions are final irrespective of what the other side thinks because they have remained in that positions for a long time without them being changed."

Speaking to the GNA Sports, Mr Djarbeng said it was this rot at most of the RFAs that had now become the bane of the DOL resulting in a series of court cases, protests and counter protests.

The RFAs are mandated by the GFA to take care of Second and the Third Divisions of the National Football Leagues.

"For far too long the GFA has sat down unconcerned and allowed the RFAs to run the leagues on their own terms sometimes without recourse to the laws governing the game.

"I strongly believe it is time for some people in the RFAs to make way for people with fresh ideas, who would be elected by all stakeholders and would, therefore, be accountable to all and not just a few." The DOL Chairman noted.

Mr Djarbeng, who stopped short of mentioning names, accused some members of the various RFAs of even going to the extent of deciding, which team should qualify for the Division One League and went to whatever extent to ensure that their plans became a reality. Mr Djarbeng said the time had come for the GFA to organise periodic elections for all the RFAs to ensure that people with right credentials were elected to steer the affairs of Ghana Football at the grassroots. He said the present sorry state of events had adversely affected the credibility of the RFAs to the extent that most of their rulings had been challenged on the grounds of being unfair hence resulting in most cases ending up in the law courts.

Mr Djarbeng also asked the GFA to properly resource the RFAs to ensure that they provided basic equipment like nets and footballs to ensure that the game was played in accordance to the rules of FIFA, saying it was appalling to see RFA organised matches being played without nets behind the goalposts.

On preparations for the 2005 League, Mr Djarbeng said though they were yet to complete the 2004 League, the Board had resolved not to commence next year's competition until they were convinced that only worthy champions were declared by the by the RFAs.