[ 2015-02-20 ]

GFA Ethics Committee submits decision on Match-fixing allegations
The GFA Ethics Committee has delivered its
decision on the alleged match fixing against Mr.
Christopher Forsythe, a licensed player agent and
Mr. Obed Nketia, CEO of Berekum Chelsea Football
Club.

In its decision, the committee decided that Mr.
Forsythe had been unethical and asked for his FIFA
player license to be revoked forthwith.

He is also been banned from organizing or
involving himself in any football matches at any
level for three years and has also been
disqualified from holding any executive position
in any club for three years.

On his part, Obed Nketia has been severely
reprimanded to serve as a deterrent to people who
may be tempted to drift along the path of ethical
depravity.

He has further been banned from holding any
executive position on the Ghana Football
Association or any of its sub-committees for two
years.

In determining the case, the Committee took into
consideration
- Video, Audio and Documentary evidence sent by
FIFA
- Statements given by Mr. Christopher Forsythe and
Obed Nketia

After listening and viewing all the pieces of
evidence available to it, the committee found no
evidence that there is match-fixing in Ghana. It
stated that there was rather belief by Mr.
Christopher Forsythe that he had the capacity to
arrange a match of that nature and later sought
the assistance of Mr. Obed Nketia.

In its summary, it said that the Committee’s
decision was influenced by the fact that the
project was aborted at an early stage and further
more and that it was the first time a match-fixing
conduct was being brought to its notice.

It also said that it was the first time the two
people had been concerned with match fixing and
the need for them to send the clear the clear
signal that the Ethics Committee shall deal
swiftly with such conduct in the future.

This followed articles published by UK newspaper
The Telegraph between 22-24 June 2014 and the
airing of the Dispatches programme “How to fix a
football match” on Channel Four on 23 June 2014
which made claims of an alleged case of match
manipulation linked to the organisation of
international friendly matches involving Ghana’s
national team with Obed Nana Kwame Nketiah and Mr.
Christopher Forsythe named as key people involved
in the matter.

The GFA Ethics Committee earlier exonerated Mr.
Kwesi Nyantakyi, President of the Association, who
was secretly filmed in a meeting with the alleged
match fixers.

This was after the two alleged match fixers had
told the Committee in their testimony that they
only told Mr. Nyantakyi about the company’s
interest in organizing International Friendly
matches for the National Teams and that he Mr.
Nyantakyi had no knowledge of the wider dynamics
involved.

"Considering the evidence before us, we are of the
view that Mr. Nyantakyi, President of the Ghana
Football Association did nothing untoward in the
alleged match fixing arrangement".

"We accordingly absolve him of any attempt or
preparation to do any match fixing or of any
improper conduct", the committee said in a
statement released last year."

Source - Ghana FA

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