Ashanti Gold demoted to division 2 for match-fixing
Former Ghana Premier League champions Obuasi Ashanti Gold has been hit with a shocking blow after the GFA found it guilty of match-fixing and subsequently demoted it to the country’s third-tier football league in a landmark ruling.
The club was hit with three charges following the week 34 league clash against relegated Inter Allies which ended 7-0 in favour of the Miners. Two of the goals were scored in a rather awkward manner by Inter Allies defender Hashim Musah who alleged that he wanted to foil a match-fixing attempt.
A ruling by the GFA Disciplinary Committee said, “The Club was charged for a breach of Article 34(5)(a) of the Ghana Premier League Regulations (2019) for instigating, commanding, and counselling its players to play a fixed match or match of convenience between Ashantigold SC and Inter Allies FC to achieve a result in favour of Ashantigold SC, an act which the club knew or ought to have known at the time of engaging in it to be contrary to the Premier League Regulations of the Ghana Football Association.”
In a case that involved both players and officials of the team, the club will play in the lower divisions next season and will also pay a sum of GHS100,000.00 as a fine.
