The long-awaited start of the 2017/18 Ghana Premier League season suffered yet another setback after Accra Great Olympics served another injunction on the competition, 24 hours after the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and Premier League Board (PLB) launched the competition at the GFA Secretariat at Ridge, Accra.
Last week Wednesday, a Human Rights Court in Accra rejected an application for an injunction on the start of the Premier League, giving the FA and PLB the leeway to organise the competition while seeking a settlement with Olympics.
Yesterday, a bailiff from an Accra High Court served the GFA with a court order restraining the FA from commencing the 2017/2018 Premier League competition without the participation or involvement of Olympics, the Plaintiff.
The court order is also to restrain the GFA from commencing the 2017/2018 Division One League.
In an affidavit in support of the motion on notice for an order for an interlocutory injunction pending appeal, Olympics is praying an Accra High Court to halt the commencement of the two leagues “until the final determination of the plaintiffs appeal”.
It further ordered for an Interlocutory Injunction (Mandatory) compelling the GFA to hear and determine the petitions lodged by the plaintiff and to apply sanctions for fielding ineligible players as applicable within two weeks or as the honourable court may determine”.
Olympics argued that should the Premier League and Division One League be allowed to go on, any judgment by the court either on appeal or in respect of the suit itself will be worthless.
Recalling the instances leading to the court injunction the court order explained that “as part of football matches scheduled during the 2016/2017 Premier League competition, Olympics played against Elmina Sharks on October 8, 2017 (Match Day 28) and against Bechem United on October 22, 2017 (Match Day 30).
It said on October 25, 2017, the plaintiff filed a petition with the association against Bechem United for fielding an ineligible player, Joseph Amoah (Jersey No. 20) in respect of a Match Day 8 fixture between Bolga All Stars vs. Bechem United.
“Joseph Amoah, the said player of Bechem United had received cautions in Match Days 1, 6 and 7 per the association’s record but did not sit out the said Match Day 8 fixture”.
It said the said petition was referred to the Disciplinary Committee (DC) of the association by the general secretary of the defendant.
Subsequently, it said on February 5, 2018, Olympics (Plaintiff) issued a writ of summons and Motion for Interlocutory Injunction against the GFA (Defendant) but the court in a ruling on February 21, 2018 refused Olympics’ application for injunction.
Olympics stated that they were dissatisfied with the said ruling of the court and have, therefore, filed a Notice of Appeal in respect of the matter in question.
Source: Daily Graphic
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