Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has rejected George Afriyie’s appeal after he was disqualified from running in the 2023 Ghana Football Association (GFA) presidential election.
In a statement released on May 6, 2024, CAS provided detailed reasons for dismissing Afriyie’s appeal.
1. The appeal filed on September 29, 2023 by George Kwasi Afriyie against the decision rendered on September 15, 2023, by the GFA Appeals Committee is dismissed.
2. The Appealed Decision rendered on September 15, 2023, by the GFA Appeals Committee is confirmed.
3. The costs of the arbitration, to be determined and served separately to the parties by the CAS Court Office, shall be borne by George Kwasi Afriyie.
4. George Kwasi Afriyie is ordered to pay the Ghana Football Association a total amount of CHF 1,000 (one thousand Swiss francs) as a contribution towards its legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with this arbitration.
5. All other or further motions or prayers for relief are dismissed.
The former GFA Vice President also announced his satisfaction with the CAS ruling.
“I have today received the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) regarding my appeal against the decision of the Elections Committee of the Ghana Football Association.
The CAS, in their decision, has upheld the decision of the Election Committee of the GFA. I take the decision in good faith and express my sincere gratitude to everyone who supported me during this period,” George Afriyie stated.
Background
Before the 2023 GFA Elections, George Afriyie was disqualified from participating after his nomination forms were endorsed by an unqualified individual, Jeffrey Asare, who falsely claimed to be a Director at Victory Club Warriors FC.
Despite appeals to the Elections Committee and subsequent legal actions, the decision stood, as it was deemed that Afriyie’s nomination violated GFA election regulations.
Afriyie’s attempts to appeal his disqualification at CAS were unsuccessful. Consequently, Kurt Okraku ran unopposed and secured re-election as GFA president on October 5, 2023, at the Rahdach Hotel in Tamale.