Great Olympics face GFA in court on February 21

Great Olympics, who suffered relegation from Ghana Premier League last season, placed an interlocutory injunction on the 2017-18 season a fortnight ago, bringing to a halt all activities related to the top-flight, including the launching of the new season and general annual congress.

The suit, filed against Ghana Football Association at the Accra High Court 2, was on the merit that Olympics have been unfairly treated following the dismissal of their protests against Bechem United midfielder Joseph Amoah and Felix Addo of Elmina Sharks.

According to Olympics, the aforementioned players were unqualified due to accumulated cards and thus the two clubs must suffer forfeiture under Article 34 (1) (e) of the General Regulations of the GFA which states that ‘A team commits an offence punishable by forfeiture of a match where it fields an unqualified player(s)’.

However, the case against both clubs was dismissed by the GFA Disciplinary Committee on the grounds that referee Reginald Lathbridge made a mistake while filling his match report by rather giving the booking to Addo instead of Amoah. The official was made to do the correction seven months later.

Olympics’ injunction was meant to prevent the Ghana FA from announcing the 16 teams to participate in the new season until the court gives a final verdict.

Justice Anthony Yeboah, who sat on the case at the Accra High Court on February 14, adjourned it to February 21 to give Olympics and Ghana FA enough time to study evidences provided by the two parties.

According to Goal's sources, the judge will pass his ruling in the next sitting and it is likely the decision will go in favour of Ghana FA, which will grant them the liberty to begin the new season next month.

However, should Olympics emerge the winner, Ghana FA will be forced to revisit the merit of the case involving the alleged unqualified players and decide if indeed they had the accumulated yellow cards and apply the repercussions as defined by the rules.