The GFA Ethics Committee has banned Asante Kotoko’s Greater Accra Supporters PRO Seth Nii Darko from all football related activities for a period of one year in accordance with provisions the GFA Code of Ethics (2019).
The ban which prevents him from attending any football match takes immediate effect from today January 24, 2020 (from January 24, 2020 to January 23, 2021).
The Committee has however decided to suspend part of the ban after considering the plea for mitigation from Mr. Nii Darko. The Committee consequently suspended the period from August 1, 2020 to January 23, 2021. Mr. Nii Darko is therefore banned from today to the end of the 2019/20 football season which ends in July 2020.
According to the Ethics Committee, should Mr. Darko commit any breach of the Code of Ethics during the next one year, the suspension shall automatically be revoked and the original sanction fully applied in addition to the sanction to be imposed for the new breach.
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Mr Nii Darko further informed the Committee that he had taken steps on Fox FM and Oyerepa FM to apologise for the comments he made. The Committee was also informed of the apology from the National Circles Council of Asante Kotoko SC and the steps being taking by its leadership to educate the supporters of the club.
Below is the decision of the Ethics Committee:
1. Mr. Seth Nii Darko has been banned from taking part in any football-related activity for one year with immediate effect. However considering his show of remorse and apology for the comments he made, the Committee has decided to partially suspend the sanction. In this regard, Mr. Nii Darko’s ban is expected to end at the end of the 2019/2020 football season in July 2020. 2. Mr. Seth Nii Darko shall retract the allegations he made and render an unqualified apology to Referee Charles Bulu and GFA President Kurt Okraku within three (3) days from today on the same media stations he made the false allegations – Ash FM and Kessben TV respectively . 3. Mr. Seth Nii Darko shall also officially write apology letters to Referee Charles Bulu and the GFA President Mr. Kurt E.S Okraku on or before Friday 31st January, 2020. 4. The National Circles Council of Asante Kotoko SC has also been tasked to provide evidence that it has organized training sessions for its supporters and club officials on how to communicate publicly to avoid breaching the Code of Ethics of the GFA.
Mr. Seth Nii Darko was informed of the decision at the hearing. The full written decision of the Ethics Committee will be communicated to Mr. Seth Nii Darko.
