Over 200 supporters of Kumasi Asante Kotoko have marched to the Castle, Osu to register their displeasure with the suspension of the club’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Sylvestor Asare Owusu from football administration in Ghana for five years. Clad in red and wielding placards with inscriptions such as “No politics in football” and MMM3 , Stop Hunting Sylvester”, “Ghana must go to World Cup” and “No Kotoko, No league”, the supporters planned to submit a petition to the President, John Evans Atta Mills. The protest march, according to the group – Committee for Joint Demonstration (CJD) - is to register their displeasure with government’s seeming interference with the administration of the club. The group is also of the view that interference from the Sports Ministry and government will only go to mar the reputation Ghana has earned on the international soccer front. The Chief Executive Officer of the defending league champions was served with a five year ban from football administration following recommendations by a committee instituted to investigate the cause of the recent stadium disaster at the Baba Yara Stadium which claimed four lives and left several others with injuries. Mr. Asare is alleged to have siphoned part of the gate proceeds accrued from the game. Lawyers for the CEO have however challenged the legal status of the five-member administrative committee that investigated the February 8, 2009 incident. His lawyers, Bentsil-Enchill, Lesta and Ankomah say the ban of their client is not only unconstitutional but in complete breach of the government’s undertakings to FIFA between 2005-2006, which led to the Ghana Football Association adopting new statutes that removed all government control over association football in Ghana. The CJD is a coalition of Kotoko supporters, National Circles Council members, friends of Sylvester Asare and members of Operation Sports Minister Must Resign. Spokesperson for the Group, Edmund Ackah speaking in an interview with Citi Sports said it was the hope of the group that the President would reconsider recent moves and decisions by government which seem to suggest government interference in sports administration in Ghana. He noted that the right and appropriate channels were not followed in the decision concerning the suspension of the CEO. He added that a copy of the petition will be sent to the Sports Minister and Otumfuo Osei Tutu II. By: citifmonline.com