The Ghana Football Association has provided clarity to Asante Kotoko regarding the suspensions of player Emmanuel Gyamfi and head coach Mariano Barreto and this is according to the club.
It was thought that Article 64 (3) of the GFA Disciplinary Code means any match suspension imposed on players or coaches has to be served in the same competition from which the suspension emerged – in this case the matches under question were league games against Inter Allies (for Gyamfi) and Legon Cities (for Barreto).
But according to Kotoko, the GFA has told them the bans against their player and head coach could be served in the FA Cup – for which the duo were duly absent from the Asokwa Deportivo game on Tuesday.
“Quick Notice ! The GFA has replied our earlier email requesting for clarification on the ban of our Head Coach Mariano Barreto and our deputy captain Emmanuel Gyamfi. The ban includes both FA cup and league matches and as such Emmanuel Gyamfi is eligible to play our next game once his fine is paid.
Coach Barreto now has only one match ban left and a fine to be paid after which he would also be cleared accordingly.” David Obeng Nyarko the communications officer of Kotoko reported on Tuesday.
The current situation seems to be not covered explicitly by the GFA laws since the suspensions against the player was not as a result of accumulated yellow cards in the league and so Article 64 (3) of the GFA DC Code does not apply.
It is however not clear at this point which specific articles the GFA used to reply Asante Kotoko that their suspended duo could serve their match bans in the FA Cup.
