By Rihana Adam, GNA
Accra, Oct. 15, GNA – An Accra High Court has barred the Ghana Amputee Football Federation (GAFF) from holding itself out as the lawful body responsible for overseeing amputee football in Ghana.
The court also dismissed GAFF’s claims in their entirety and upheld the counterclaim of the National Paralympic Committee of Ghana (NPC Ghana).
The judgment, delivered by Justice Jerome Noble-Nkrumah at the Commercial Division of the High Court, examined GAFF’s claim to authority over amputee football, its recognition by relevant sporting bodies, and the conduct of Francis Adjetey Sowah, who was associated with the organisation.
“It is hereby declared that the plaintiff, being not recognized by the 1st and 2nd defendants and indeed by the WAFF, cannot hold itself out as the lawful body with oversight responsibility for the management of amputee football in Ghana.
“The plaintiff is hereby perpetually restrained, whether by itself, its servants, agents, assigns or privies, from holding itself out as the lawful body with oversight responsibility for amputee football in Ghana,” excerpts of the ruling said.
On page 21 of the judgment, the court referred to correspondence from the World Amputee Football Federation (WAFF), dated September 25, 2019, which recorded lifetime bans involving three individuals: Mr. Sowah, Charles Narh and Benjamin Armah.
The correspondence cited ethical breaches involving the three individuals and stated that they had been banned from amputee football for life.
The judgment’s reference to the correspondence formed part of the evidence considered by the court.
The operative injunction separately restrains GAFF and persons acting through it from representing themselves as the lawful oversight body for amputee football in Ghana.
The court’s decision was comprehensive, with GAFF failing to establish its claims and NPC Ghana succeeding on its counterclaim.
The court declared that GAFF, lacking recognition from the National Sports Authority, NPC Ghana and WAFF, could not hold itself out as the lawful body overseeing amputee football in Ghana.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Odeng Adade