Dreams FC demoted to Division One, Tema Youth promoted over

Ghanaian Premier League campaigners Dreams FC have been demoted to Division One while Tema Youth are promoted to the top-flight following the ruling by the Appeals Committee of the GFA on Wednesday.

The Appeals Committee was forced by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to hear the case after Tema Youth petitioned the Switzerland-based body claiming justice was not delivered in two previous hearings by the Disciplinary Committee of the GFA.

CAS ordered for the case of the use of Cudjoe Mensah by Dreams FC to be re-examined with Tema Youth claiming the player was unqualified to play when the two sides clashed in a match that decided who played in the Premier League last season.

Even though previous ruling by the Disciplinary Committee found that Mensah was unqualified to play it refused to hold Dreams FC responsible.

The Appeals Commitee finally ruled 0n Wednesday that CUDJOE MENSAH was unqualified to play in the match between TEMA YOUTH and DREAMS and the latter must be held liable for the irregular registration of the player.

The body also slapped a five-year ban from all football activities on Dreams FC official Ibrahim Dossey Adam for signing the release letter of the player on behalf of the club.

Dreams FC were also slapped with a fine of Two Thousand and Five Hundred cedis over the matter that has taken more than one year.

The ruling declared that Tema Youth must play in the Ghana top-flight next season while Dreams FC are demoted to the tough second tier.

The decision is likely to lead to Dreams FC going to court which could delay the start of the league but opponents of the Dawu-based team says they will be sacked from football if they resort to the ordinary law courts.

This decision means sixteen teams are likely to play in the top-flight next season even though there are agitations for an increase to 18 clubs.