Aggrieved media partner, Crystal TV has finally decided to drag the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to court over multiple breaches of contract charges.
Crystal TV is also seeking an injunction on the remaining matches of the soon-to-end Kinapharma Premier League until the conflict between the two parties has been resolved at arbitration.
Soccer Express investigations at the courts have revealed that the matter will be heard at the Fast Track High Court tthis morning as the FA has been officially served with the writ filed by Crystal TV.
In a 33-point writ filed at the High Court Crystal TV is among others requesting the court to place an injunction on the remaining matches of the league and also issue an order to compel the Football Association to participate in an arbitration process as required by the existing contract between the two parties. The two parties are bound by Article 17 of their partnership contract to resolve all disputes and misunderstanding arising out of their agreement in accordance with the Arbitration Act of Ghana, 1961 Act 38.
Crystal TV is seeking the injunction on the league pending the eventual resolution of the contractual dispute at arbitration.
Counsel for Crystal TV Seth Dumoga confirmed Crystal TV’s legal action yesterday when Soccer Express spoke to him on the phone. He however refused to make any further comment on the matter preferring to put across his arguments in court tomorrow morning.
Crystal TV has been unhappy with the Ghana Football Association since April this year when the Association announced a sponsorship deal with pharmaceutical giants, Kinapharma and went ahead to source other media partners for the deal in what Crystal says is in contravention of the existing contract they have with the FA.
Crystal TV did not take lightly the FA’s arrangements and sought to execute the terms of the agreement by telecasting live a couple of league matches to buttress its point, but that action met with militant action from the clubs who claimed they had no knowledge about a deal with Crystal.
But last week the Managing Director of the Kumasi-based pay-TV station with Nigerian roots, Chief P. K. A. Crystal confirmed that the Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA) was privy to negotiations on the partnership agreement and indeed witnessed the agreement.
Ghalca boss J. Y. Appiah was also on hand to receive the first payment of $85,000 from Crystal TV.
According to the provisions of the contract, Crystal TV were granted the sole and exclusive rights to cover, produce and transmit all football events/games in Ghana for distribution and broadcast outside the territories of Ghana and a non-exclusive right to do same within the territories of Ghana.
Crystal’s problems arose when Kinapharma expressed dissatisfaction with the presence of Crystal TV after the league’s title sponsor had struck deals with TV3 and a host of other radio stations for advertising in exchange for the sole right to cover the Premier League.
Kinapharma was further irked by Crystal TV’s refusal to offer her free advertising slots even though Crystal was showing Premier League matches on its partner network, GTV.
The impasse has dragged on since with intervention coming in from as high up as the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, but Crystal’s Managing Director said last week that the FA had handled the matter incompetently and talks had totally broken down hence the recourse to the law courts.
The FA has been bogged by several delays to the current league season and should the courts slap an injunction preventing the FA from organising the final matches, it would total throw Ghana’s chances of participating in CAF inter-clubs tournaments next year into jeopardy.
