In what is a shocking development, Asante Kotoko SC has written to CAF to serve notification of their decision to pull out of this season’s CAF Champions League.
The Porcupine Warriors cite frustrations from the Ghana Football Association as a main reason behind their latest mind boggling move.
What is Asante Kotoko’s case?
FMIG sources reveal that Asante Kotoko in a complaint to CAF noted that, their CAF Champions League Preliminary stage 2nd leg encounter against FC Nouadhibou is set to take place on Saturday December 5 with kick-off slated for 3pm GMT.
However as per normal procedure, teams are allowed to trained at a match venue at the scheduled kick off time for the game; meaning both Kotoko and Nouadhibou were expected to use the Accra Sports stadium for their training sessions with the last day on Friday December 4 between 3 pm GMT and 5pm GMT.
More so the CAF regulations say, no match should take place at a designated venue, 72 hours before a CAF inter-club game.
However, the Ghana FA has arranged for a Ghana Premier League match between Hearts of Oak and Karela United to take place on Friday which Kotoko cite as a deliberate attempt to frustrate their efforts ahead of a crucial match in their calendar.
Kotoko argue that the actions of the Ghana FA threatens to derail their path towards making a positive impact in Africa.
They have therefore communicated to CAF their threat to pull out of the competition.
The GFA’s side of the story:
From our checks, the Ghana FA had already fixed matches for this weekend way before the Kotoko versus Nouadhibou clash was determined.
The Ghana FA indicate they have sent notices to CAF to notify them about the upcoming Ghanaian elections on December 7, hence it would have been proper if the African assignments of Asante Kotoko and AshantiGold were put on hold until a time when it will be convenient to honor those games.
The GFA explained that due to the pressures and nature of the electoral exercise, playing a match of international standards at such a time wasn’t ideal.
However, CAF is yet to reply to the Ghana FA.
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