A Private Legal Practitioner and Football Pundit, Samuel Bartels has reaffirmed the position held by people within the football circles that the Ghana Football Association (GFA) is an autonomous body.
According to him, Article 19 of the FIFA’s Statutes and regulations and Article five (5) (3) of the GFA regulations take away all ambiguity as to whether the local football governing body is insulated from all forms of State influences, even though to a large extent, the State financially supports Sports development.
Taking his turn on the GTV Sports+ 5th Edition of “Saving Our Passion” on March 10th, 2020, which discussed the legal perspective of running the GFA, pointed out that even though the GFA is independent of government, there should be what he called “responsible autonomy”.
Mr. Bartels backed his claim by quoting portions of the FIFA’s Statutes and regulations specifically Article 19 which talks about the independence of Member Associations.
He was of the view that even though the government has a higher stake to play in the running of the FA, its control is limited’
“No matter how much government puts in the GFA’s kitty for its day to day running, the laws governing the Association, … says the government has no hands in managing its day-to-day affairs and that ends it all”, according to Mr. Bartels.
Article 19 of FIFA’s Statutes and regulations:
Independence of member Associations and their bodies:
- Each Member Association shall manage its affairs independently and without undue influence from third parties.
- A Member Association’s bodies shall be either elected or appointed in that Association. A Member Association’s statutes shall provide for a democratic procedure that guarantees the complete independence of the election or appointment.
- Any Member Association’s bodies that have not been elected or appointed in compliance with the provisions of par. 2, even on an interim basis, shall not be recognized by FIFA.
- Decisions passed by bodies that have not been elected or appointed in compliance with paragraph 2 shall not be recognized by FIFA.
Story: Franklin ASARE-DONKOH
Read also: Football Interference: Government, GFA must meet to define boundaries
