Phar Rangers regain DOL status after CAS ruling

Phar Rangers have regained their status as a Division One League club after winning their case against the Ghana Football Association (GFA) following a Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) ruling.

Despite finishing 12th on the Zone III table at the end the 2016/17 season, Phar Rangers were relegated to the Eastern Region Division Two League with Okyeman Planners who finished 13th earning a slot to maintain their status in the DOL.

This was because Planners won a protest against relegated Okwawu United for failing to pay a fine after their week 29th clash.

But Phar Rangers argued that since Okwawu United failed to pay their fine before their week six league clash, they lose all points in their matches from week 7 to week 30.

Meaning they would also profit from three points and three goals to survive.

It took the Ghana FA Disciplinary Committee 48 days to respond to Phar Rangers’ protest with the flimsy excuse that they have no jurisdiction over the case.

Rangers exhausted all the judicial processes at the FA before heading to Switzerland for review.

The CAS ruling read: ”The appeal filed by Phar Rangers FC against the decision of the Appeals Committee of the Ghana Football Association of February 23, 2018 is upheld.

“The decision of the Appeals Committee of Ghana Football Association of February 23, 2018 is set aside and replaced by this award.

“In the game between Phar Rangers FC and Okwawu United of July 16, 2017, Phar Rangers FC is declared winner 3-0, Phar Rangers FC, therefore, remained in the GFA Division One League in the next football season.