DOL: Tamale City’s protest against Young Apostles DISMISSED

The Disciplinary Committee of the Ghana Football Association has dismissed a protest filed by Tamale City FC against Young Apostles FC for using an unqualified/unlicensed coach in their clash.

Tamale City had lodged protest against the Young Apostles Peter Domfeh Oppong as their head coach insisting he was unqualified.

According to the Tamale-based side, Oppong’s name appeared on the team sheet in the Competition’s Management System as “Head Coach” with reg. no GHQ0355M despite not possessing the requisite License B Certificate to coach a Division One League club.

They allege therefore that he, and Young Apostles, were as a result in breach of the relevant Division One League Regulations and the Club Licensing Regulations.

The Petitioner attached a copy of Mr. Oppong’s registration in the FIFA Connect system as well as a copy of the team sheet for the said match.

Based on the above allegations, the Tamale City requested that Young Apostles be declared losers of the game despite winning the said game by 2 goals to 1 on the match day.

The Tamale-based club further prayed that the Committee declare them the winners of the said match, and credit them with three (3) points and three (3) goals in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Young Apostles in their Statement of Defence stated that Peter Domfeh Oppong was not their Head Coach in the said match.

They argue that Mr. Peter Domfeh Oppong is registered as Club Official with a role as “Sports Director”, and that he attended the match in that capacity.

The Respondents emphasized that their Head Coach and Assistant Coaches are registered in the FIFA Connect System as Coaches and not Club Officials.

They point out that registration of coaches includes their coaching certificates and appointment letters which are also sent to the Club Licensing Board.

Young Apostles also pointed out that the match day list/team sheet of Registered Officials and Players which the Petitioners sought to rely on to prove that Mr. Domfeh Oppong attended the match as a Head Coach was produced, as is standard, by the Competitions Department of the GFA and not by their club.

They added that Clubs do not have access to generate Team Lists from the Competitions Management System.

Young Apostles therefore prayed that the DC dismiss the protest by Tamale City.

The Disciplinary Committee after ascertaining the facts of the case has dismissed the protest of Techiman City and Young Apostles as winners of the game which ended 2-1 in their favour.