Tuesday , March 19 2024

NC Special Cup: Kotoko rescind decision to withdraw from Hearts clash

Kumasi Asante Kotoko have rescinded their decision to withdraw from the GFa Normalisation Committee’s Special Competition Tier I semi-final match against Accra Hearts of Oak at the Accra Stadium on June 16.

The management of Kotoko agreed to honour the match in Accra as scheduled after the Organising Committee of the competition considered the club’s request to give both Hearts and Kotoko an equal share of the gate proceeds.

Confirming this to Graphic Sports Online on Saturday, the CEO of Kotoko, Mr George Amoako, said the committee engaged in talks with Kotoko over the issue on Friday and finally decided to consider the club’s request to give both Hearts and Kotoko a 40 per cent share of gate proceeds from the match.

According to Mr Amoako, all Kotoko sought for was fairness and equity, hence the decision to honour the match after their concerns had been addressed by the organisers.

The negotiation between the two parties became necessary following Kotoko’s withdrawal from the Tier I Special Competition with immediate effect in a letter to the GFA dated June 3, 2019.

In the letter signed by Mr Amoako, Kotoko explained that they were withdrawing because they found the venue for the semi-final match against Hearts and the sharing of gate proceeds as being against the spirit of fairness, equity and natural justice.

Kotoko also thought the two earlier letters they wrote to the GFA to seek clarification on the issue in dispute were not given the needed attention.

Kotoko had requested the GFA to consider fixing the said match on neutral grounds or make it a home and away affair, while sharing the gate proceeds equally between the two clubs.

 

But the GFA replied Kotoko that Article 11(5) and 12(5) which they quoted to buttress their argument was alien to the FA and, therefore, referred Kotoko to an competition regulations which was circulated to all participating club’s in March this year.

The GFA insisted that the match be played at the Accra Stadium as earlier indicated, while Hearts and Kotoko get 40 per cent and 30 per cent of the gate proceeds, with the remaining 30 per cent going to the FA.

However, the latest twist has put paid to the raging dispute which cast doubt over the big game on June 16.

Source : myjoyonline.com

Check Also

ECG disconnects Accra Sports stadium over unpaid debt

The Accra Sports Stadium has been disconnected from the national power grid due to non-payment …