The presidential ambition of Wilfred Osei Kwaku ‘Palmer’ has been dealt a huge blow following the verdict of CAS to dismissing his appeal against the Ghana Football Association.

The Tema Youth owner had wished to succeed Kwesi Nyantakyi in 2019 after the Anas Exposé in 2018.

But the Elections Committee set up by the Normalization Committee disqualified Palmer from contesting in the election after deliberately refusing to pay a statutory percentage of the transfer of his player Joseph Paintsil to the FA.

Palmer felt he had been given a raw deal, appealing to CAS to overturn the decision, nullify the election and call for fresh elections to enable him to contest.

But on September 2, 2020, CAS delivered the verdict, dismissing all the claims of Palmer, hence, indicating he can never contest for any position in the Ghana FA.

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.

Dismissing Palmer’s appeal means the experienced administrator will not be able to contest for any position in football governance, hence barring him playing any leadership role in the country’s football governance.

Following the launch of his policy document for Ghana football and coining the slogan ‘P4P’ ahead of the election, Palmer had wanted to rule Ghana football one day.

But with the verdict of CAS, it is over for Palmer as he has been forced to discontinue his presidential ambitions.

Current president Kurt E.S. Okraku will, therefore, enjoy a solid undiluted tenure until 2023 and still be eligible to contest again for a second term if he wishes to stay on.

Considering the stupendous efforts of Kurt Okraku and his new administration to transform Ghana football, the CAS decision is just a shot in the arm to continue with his transformation agenda in the country’s football.