Following the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sports to dismiss the appeal of Wilfred Osei Kwaku ‘Palmer’, the Legal representative for the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Lawyer Naa Odoforley Nortey, says the Normalization Committee (NC) has been vindicated.

Palmer had appealed against the decision of the GFA Normalization Committee that barred him from contesting in the Presidential election on 25th October 2019.

The powerful Tema Youth President dragged the case to CAS praying he is de-barred from contesting to enable him put a foot forward in the next election.

He also prayed CAS to nullify the October 25 election and call for fresh elections to determine a new leader for the Ghana FA.

CAS after several anxious moments have finally delivered the verdict, dismissing all the claims of Palmer and confirming the decisions of the Elections Committee of the Normalization Committee then.

The CAS statement read:

“The appeal filed on 14 October 2019 by Mr Wilfred Kwaku Osei against the Ghana Football Association (GFA) with respect to the decisions rendered on 4 October 2019, respectively 8 October 2019, by the Elections Committee of the Respondent is dismissed.

“The decisions rendered on 4 October 2019, respectively 8 October 2019 by the GFA Elections Committee of the Respondent are confirmed. The costs of the arbitration, to be determined and served to the Parties by the CAS Court Office, shall be borne by Mr. Wilfred Kwaku Osei. Each Party shall bear its own costs in connection with these arbitration proceedings. All other or further claims are dismissed”, the statement from CAS read.

Speaking in an interview with Happy 98.9FM on the ruling Naa Odorfoley said, “I was not surprised about the ruling from CAS. It was clear about the disqualification handed over to him by the Normalisation Committee.

“The case being contested in CAS wasn’t what was even discussed in the media.
The decision of the NC was affirmed which CAS agrees and that is the best part for me and I am very happy about it. We have been vindicated by our decision”, she added.

The decision by CAS means the President and Bankroller of Tema Youth will not be able to contest or stand in any election of the GFA in the future.