Kwesi Nyantakyi FIFA Lifetime Ban

NEWS COMMENTARY ON THE LIFE BAN OF FORMER GFA PRESIDENT KWESI NYANTAKYI FROM FOOTBALL ACTIVITIES

The Adjudicatory Chamber of the Independent Ethics Committee of the World football governing body, FIFA has banned Mr Kwesi Nyantakyi, former President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), for life from all football-related activities. The activities include football administration, ownership and any other sport related engagements both at national and international levels. It is not clear if Mr. Nyantakyi can even watch football games on his own Television set, visit the stadium or donate football kits to clubs or his community youth as the ban appears to be sweeping and restrictive. Many interpretations have been given to the ban when the news broke. Some discussants have argued that Mr. Nyantakyi should not even be seen either playing or observing gutter-to-gutter games or small pole marches among children in any community. The news on the ban has been received with mixed reactions. While some people believe the punishment which came into force immediately, was swift, timely and deterrent enough, owing to the gravity of the offence, others are of the view that FIFA was too harsh in punishing the former GFA Chief. The adjudicatory chamber found Mr Nyantakyi guilty of having violated article, 19 which deals with Conflicts of interest, Article 21 which abhors bribery and corruption and Article 22 of the FIFA Code of Ethics, 2012 edition. FIFA has in the past banned a number of football administrators for various offences. The same Committee banned President of the Dominican Republic Football Association, Osiris Guzmán for ten years from all football-related activities having violated articles of the FIFA Code of Ethics involving offering and accepting gifts. Mr Aaron Davidson, former board chairman of the North American Soccer League, Mr Costas Takkas, a former Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football official and Mr Miguel Trujillo, a former FIFA match agent and owner of sports consulting companies also suffered the same fate. Some pundits and ordinary citizens are demanding answers from the Government of Ghana and the Police Administration regarding investigations into the case. This is a legitimate demand that must be responded to within the shortest possible time. Government for that matter the police administration must brief the nation on the level of investigation into the Number 12 expose conducted by Anas Aremeyaw Anas and his Tiger Eye PI Team. It is said that the wheel of justice is slow and even slower in this country. In view of the public interest and the shame the expose brought to the nation, it is important that the case is handle with dispatch for the nation to have a closure and chart a new path towards the re-organisation of football administration in the country.

Yes, it is worth noting that a normalisation Committee has been put in place to run football administration in the country. However, the Committee and FIFA must work as fast as they can to organise elections to have all structures reinstituted to revamp the game. Mr. Nyantakyi occupied the GFA Presidential position for about 13 years and contributed to the development of the game. He was instrumemntal in Ghana’s Black Stars qualification to the FIFA World Cups for three successive times. Until the ban he was the Vice President of the Confederation of African Football CAF. We can only wish Mr. Nyantakyi well in his next endeavour and commend FIFA for the swift nature with which it handled the case and entreat the police administration to take a leaf from the FIFIA Adjudicatory Chamber of the Independent Ethics Committee to expedite action on its own investigations and do well to brief the nation on its findings, for the nation cannot wait in perpetuity.

BY: DOMINIC HLORDZI, JOURNALIST.