FIFA monitoring Ghana after FA raid
Reuters - Wednesday 08 December 2010, 14:31
BERNE - FIFA is watching developments in
Ghana after police raided the local FA's headquarters and seized
computers and files, the world governing body said on Wednesday.
FIFA does not tolerate government interference in football
and in October it briefly suspended Nigeria following court
action against directors of the federation.
"We are monitoring the situation (in Ghana)," FIFA said
after Tuesday's police raid on the Ghana FA (GFA) in Accra.
The GFA said plain-clothed officers from the country's
Economic and Organised Crime Unit (EOCU) removed nine computers
and took the mobile phones of some staff in the raid.
"I believe that this is clearly an affront to the rule of
law and without respect for good corporate governance," GFA
spokesman Randy Abbey added.
The GFA said the seizure of documents had "stalled all
administrative functions".
Two months ago the authorities requested information on all
sponsorship contracts signed by the association, the GFA has
said. The local governing body added it had sought extra time to
gather the documents but had not received a response.
FIFA UPSET
Ghana reached the World Cup quarter-finals, losing a penalty
shootout to Uruguay, after being denied what would have been a
winning goal at the end of extra time when opposing forward Luis
Suarez handled the ball on the line.
Nigeria have twice upset FIFA in the last few months.
The country was nearly suspended shortly after the World Cup
when President Goodluck Jonathan ordered the team's withdrawal
from international football for the next two years in retribution
for their first-round exit in South Africa.
He backed down under pressure from the world governing body.
In October, FIFA suspended Nigeria over political
interference, which it said included court actions against
Nigerian federation officials and the government's meddling in
the national league.
The ban was lifted three days later after the court actions
were dropped and the league was allowed to start.
The suspension of a country's FA means its national teams
cannot play matches at any age level while its clubs are also
banned from international competitions. Annual grants from FIFA
are also cut off.