Kaya 959 Reporter
Fédération Internationale de Football Association (Fifa) has finally stepped in to resolve the much talked about dispute on Bafana Bafana’s controversial elimination from the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
Following the controversial match, South African Football Association (Safa) requested the services of award-winning and internationally recognised retired referee Andile “Ace” Ncobo to conduct a second-by-second analysis of the match.
Ghana and South Africa recently played against each other in the deciding Group G 2022 World Cup qualifier at the Cape Coast Stadium where Ghana won 1-0 through a questionable 31st-minute penalty that was awarded to the hosts by Senegalese referee Maguette Ndiaye and converted by Andre Ayew.
Also Read: Bafana Bafana crowned 2021 COSAFA Cup champions
FIFA has confirmed the protest will be submitted to the Disciplinary Committee on 23 November 2021.
Statement:
Dear Sirs,
We refer to the abovementioned matter, and in particular to the protest filed by the South African Football Association on 15 November 2021 in connection with the match Ghana v. South Africa played on 14 November 2021 in the context of the Preliminary Competition for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, African Zone. The documents pertaining to the present protest are available
Furthermore, we wish to inform the South African Football Association as well as the Ghana Football Association that the above-mentioned protest will be submitted to a member of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee on 23 November 2021 for consideration and decision in accordance with art. 14 (9) of the Regulations FIFA World Cup 2022TM, Preliminary Competition as well as arts. 46 and 54 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC).
In view of the foregoing, the Ghana Football Association has the opportunity to provide the secretariat of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee with any comments it deems appropriate on the aforementioned protest, if any, by 20 November 2021 at the latest, along with any document deemed necessary Finally, for the sake of clarity, please be informed that the FIFA Disciplinary Committee will decide on the protest using the file in its possession (cf. art. 20 par. 5 of the FDC).
Yours sincerely,
Julien Deux
Head of Judicial Bodies (Adjudicatory)
Also Read: SAFA in talks to allow fully vaccinated spectators at soccer matches
Ghana Football Association has accused SAFA of being dishonest and irresponsible
Though there’s been video footage that clearly shows what transpired in the match, the Ghana Football Association has written a statement saying it is “shocking and disrespectful” how the events that transpired in Cape Coast on Sunday have been portrayed by SAFA.
The 1st paragraph on the Ghana FA statement below is funny, YES it’s true but IRRELEVANT on this matter, it kinda seem like they had no valid argument pertaining the matter at hand ,they then decided to fill the statement wth irrelevant achievements #LETFIFADECIDES #BafanaBafana pic.twitter.com/Yidhw8RqnM
— Manqoba Ntuli (@NtuliManqoba) November 18, 2021
“It is shocking, irresponsible, and outright disrespectful to note that our colleagues from South Africa Football Association (with whom we have good relationships with and mutual sporting respect) have chosen to spread falsehoods to the media rather than project the real picture of events before, during and after the game.”
They went on to further say that the allegations by SAFA are “frivolous, baseless and lacks merits”:
“We wish to state categorically that the allegations are frivolous, baseless and lacks merits and should be treated with all the contempt that it deserves. These allegations from South Africa Football Association are nothing but a planned scheme and a calculated attempt to shift focus from the defeat, divert attention from their failure to qualify for the play-offs and unjustly dent the hard-earned victory of the Black Stars.
The Ghana Football Association has been given until 20 November 2021 to submit its argument. The matter will then be submitted to the Fifa disciplinary committee on 23 November 2021 for review.
