The Disciplinary Committee of FIFA has ordered Ghanaian Division 2 Club, FC Platini, to pay an additional fine of CHF2000 to Sporting Clube da Covilhã of Portugal within 30 days of notification.
According to FIFA, the additional fine imposed on the Ashanti Region-based Division Two side was due to the club’s failure to comply with an earlier directive from the world football governing body.
“Platini FC is granted a final deadline of 30 days as from notification of the present decision in which to settle said amount. Upon expiry of the aforementioned final deadline and in the event of persistent default or failure to comply in full with the decision within the period stipulated, a transfer ban will be pronounced until the complete amount due is paid or the non-financial decision is complied with”.
FIFA
It can be recalled that FIFA placed a transfer ban on the Ashanti Region-based Division Two side, Platini FC, for failing to comply with a decision of FIFA’s Player Status Committee in February last year.
In a decision dated February 18, 2020, the single judge of the Players’ Status Committee determined that Platini FC has to pay an amount of EUR 16,250 plus interest of 5% per annum as of January 31, 2018 to Sporting Clube da Covilhã, Portugal. The Ghanaian lower tier side has however, failed to comply with FIFA’s directive hence the latest decision. This means the club will now pay the initial fine plus interest in addition to the recent fine.
Possibility of additional sanctions
The World Football governing body, FIFA, said in a statement that the transfer ban will be implemented automatically at national and international level by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and FIFA respectively, without a further formal decision having to be taken nor any order to be issued by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee or its secretariat.
In addition, FIFA warned the lower tier Ghanaian team that “a deduction of points or relegation to a lower division may also be ordered in addition to a transfer ban in the event of persistent failure, repeated offences or serious infringements or if no full transfer could be imposed or served for any reason”.
Per FIFA Disciplinary Code, the judicial bodies may decide not to communicate the grounds of a decision and instead communicate only the terms of the decision. The parties have ten days from receipt of the terms of the decision to request, in writing, the grounds of the decision, and that failure to do so will result in the decision becoming final and binding.
This means FC Platini has up to 10 days to request further clarification on the basis of FIFA’s current decision in case the club is not satisfied with the fine.
The Payment Of The Amount
As a member of FIFA, the Ghana Football Association has the duty to implement this decision and provide FIFA with proof that the transfer ban has been implemented at national level.
“If the Ghana Football Association does not comply with this decision, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee will decide on appropriate sanctions on the member. This can lead to an expulsion from FIFA competitions. The Respondent, Platini FC, is directed to notify the secretariat to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee as well as the Ghana Football Association of every payment made and to provide the relevant proof of payment”.
FIFA
FIFA also directed the Creditor, Sporting Clube da Covilhã, to notify the secretariat of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee as well as the Ghana Football Association of every payment received.
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