Audio By Carbonatix
The Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), dismissed Wilfred Kwaku Osei's appeal contesting the decision of the Election Committee to disqualify him from the 2019 GFA Presidential elections.
The arbitral award which was delivered to the parties on September 1, 2020, said though the first reason (failure to pay 10% to the GFA) is not 'very strong' to merit his ineligibility to contest the elections, '…not honouring a debt of a club towards a national federation may be in conflict of interest with the aspiration to become president of the same federation'.
Mitchell A.R Bernasconi panel added that "the behaviour of the appellant and his club does raise some legitimate doubts that, given that the appellant has not submitted any convincing evidence to prove the legitimacy of the club's refusal to make the payment and his own capacity and efforts to positively influence the club's compliance.'
The Tema Youth accused the Vetting Committee of bias, but CAS said he failed to raise an objection to the composition, hence, he waived his right since he knew there could be potential bias against him.
CAS did not entirely rule out the possibility of bias, but his failure to raise an objection even when he was given the opportunity by the Vetting Committee shows, he was 'okay' with the panel.
The panel holds strongly, the decision of the Ethics Committee to deem the Tema Youth unfit for the position of President for his public comments on radio about Ghana's failure to qualify for Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Palmer claimed if the GFA had paid €300,000 and gained €8,000,000 from participating at the world cup, he sees nothing wrong with it.
The CAS panel said someone aspiring to be GFA President should be of ' irreproachable behaviour' and be full of 'integrity.'
CAS final award noted, the comments shows he lacks the requisite integrity to be GFA President.
With this, they said they are satisfied that the Elections Committee had grounds to determine the non-eligibility of the appellant. "… a person desiring to represent the GFA as president should be of irreproachable behaviour and be of the high spectrum of norms and values including full integrity."
Palmer's argument that he was not punished by the Ethics Committee because they didn't consider his comments veracious enough to merit a sanction does not validate integrity questions raised, Michelle's panel ruled.
They concluded, it is unnecessary to consider any of the requests he submitted to the world apex sports adjudicatory body.
Kwaku Osei paid over $44,000, which included the arbitration costs of the GFA for the case to be heard. The panel concluded each party shall bear its own cost.
This means the GFA would pay Palmer about $22,000 for their cost he paid for.
Latest Stories
-
Kane scores twice as Bayern beat rivals Dortmund
18 minutes -
Lamine Yamal hits first hat-trick in Barcelona win
22 minutes -
Iran says US and Israel strikes hit school killing 108
28 minutes -
What we know so far: Supreme Leader Khamenei killed, Trump says, as Iran launches retaliatory strikes
1 hour -
Trump says Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei dead after US-Israeli attacks
2 hours -
Ghana cautions nationals against non-essential travel to and from the Middle East as tensions escalate
3 hours -
NAIMOS has failed in galamsey fight; it’s time for a state of emergency – DYMOG to President Mahama
4 hours -
Mahama to open African Court judicial year in Arusha, mark 20th anniversary
4 hours -
Ghana begins partial evacuation of Tehran Embassy as Middle East tensions escalate
4 hours -
EPA tightens surveillance on industries, moves to cut emissions with real-time monitoring system
5 hours -
Police conduct show of force exercise ahead of Ayawaso East by-election
6 hours -
Ghana launches revised Early Childhood Care and Development Policy to strengthen child development framework
7 hours -
AI to transform 49% of jobs in Africa within three years – PwC Survey
7 hours -
Physicist raises scientific and cost concerns over $35m EPA’s galamsey water cleaning technology
7 hours -
The road to approval: Inside Ghana’s AI strategy and KNUST’s leadership
8 hours
