Why Fifa is silent on banned Ghana FA officials

A communique from Fifa, banning two Ghana FA officials, was sent to the country’s football governing body on March 20, according to starrsportsgh sources within the Adjudicatory Chamber of the FIFA Code Of Ethics.

The two officials, acting General Secretary Isaac Addo, and Executive Committee member Nanabanyin Eyison who also doubles as the female national U-20 team, were found culpable by the Independent Ethics Committee of Fifa of alleged sexual harassment following a protest from two liaison officers during a workshop for the 2016 Fifa U-20 Women’s World Cup in Papua New Guinea (PNG).

The duo was slapped with nine and six months ban respectively from all football related activities after several months of investigation.

Reports in the Ghanaian media have been riff for past three weeks, but neither the Ghana FA nor Fifa has confirmed or denied the reports publicly.

However, Starrsportsgh sources within the adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee confirmed the two officials have indeed received bans from Fifa but due to the restrictions of Article 36 of the Fifa Code of Ethics (FCE), details of their ban cannot be made by public.

Article 36 (1) of the Fifa Code of Ethics states that: “Any release of such information shall respect the personality rights of those concerned,” thus, the reason the decision reached three weeks ago has been kept under wraps.

The two officials have the right to appeal according Dr. Marc Tenbücken, Spokesperson of the Adjudicatory Chamber of the Fifa Ethics Committee.

“In principle, according to Art. 80 (1) of the Fifa Code of Ethics (FCE), a decision of the independent Ethics Committee be appealed in front of the Fifa Appeal Committee.”

Isaac Addo and Nanabanyin Eyison are expected to use the umbrella above to have their names cleared.