Ghanaian giants Asante Kotoko are up in arms with the FA claiming a directive that seeks to prevent the club from filming its own matches in the domestic top-flight is “absurd, primitive and backward” in a highly volatile attack on the governing body.
In a strongly-worded letter to the General Secretary of the Ghana FA on Thursday, the Porcupine Warriors pulled no punches in a highly explosive reply to the association’s scribe.
Its appears the battle lines have been drawn between the record Ghana Premier League title holders and the governing body over the latest directive which has ruffled feathers.
In a letter from the Association addressed to all Clubs and stakeholders, the Ghana FA emphasized that illegal filming infringes on the Contractual agreement with Broadcast partners Startimes Ghana and anyone found culpable will be dragged to the Law Court.
But the Ghanaian powerhouse have not taken kindly to the directive, insisting the move is “backward”, vowing to fight the FA on the matter to its logical conclusion.
This directive prohibits Asante Kotoko from utilizing its video and technology partners VEO from capturing its games – in a sensational twist which has ruffled feathers in the West African nation.
In a letter signed by the club’s Administrative and Operations manager, Emmanuel Dasoberi on Thursday, the two-time African champions have warned it will pay back the $5,000 it has received from TV broadcast holders StarTimes and prevent them from taken coverage of their matches.
“Should you continue to insist on this absurd, primitive and backward approach to the development of the game, we would instruct you to furnish us with your account details in which we would refund the $5,000 out of the $15,000 you were supposed to pay to clubs as sponsorship packages from StarTimes and also instruct you of our decision to cease dealing with StarTimes,” part of an explosive letter read.
“In your letter, you states that filming of matches infringes on your contractual obligation with StarTimes Ghana. To this end, we wish to request a copy of the contract between the GFA and and StarTimes to enable us ascertain our rights and obligations and the relevant breaches with regards to clubs filming their matches.
“If we do not receive our copy of the contract by Monday November 23rd, we would not be in a position to honour any obligations towards StarTimes since we cannot honour obligations without knowing our rights.”
Asante Kotoko’s game against Eleven Wonders was delayed for close to 15 minutes after FA officials tried to stop the Porcupine Warriors from filming the game with their VEO device.
The incident has led to the Ghana FA issuing out a strong warning to any club that will go contrary to the rules.
Kotoko officials have strongly opposed the directive from the Ghana FA and are ready to seek redress at the court on this matter.
The move by the Ghana FA is set to cripple Asante Kotoko’s partnership with VEO since it will be rendered useless should the directive hold.
And this is what has irked the record Premier League holders – who have vowed to put the Ghana FA directive in the dustbin as they ready themselves for a media and legal showdown with the governing body.
Tension is building up in the air as Premier League clubs have been angered amid an outpouring of outrage from the latest directive.
The Ghana Football Association issued a directive on Monday, warning the principal actors – football clubs, from filming their own matches for technical analysis.
The Ghana FA claim filming of matches by Premier League clubs is illegal, warning it could be forced to drag the major stakeholder to court for an infringement on a contractual agreement between broadcast partners StarTimes and the FA.
The directive has been met with stiff opposition and could potentially disrupt the smooth start of the 2020-21 season.
The China-based organisation, which acquired the TV rights to broadcast the Ghana Premier League back in January this year, have just paid a paltry $10,000 to all 18 elite clubs so far with an additional $5,000 to be paid on Tuesday November 17, 2020.
The directive is in furtherance to the threat issued by the broadcast right holders to stakeholders over what they claim are “illegal and unlawful” broadcast of matches in the Ghana Premier League.
They have dragged four media outlets – Silver FM, Aseda FM, Stade Afrique and Najoe Sounds to court for broadcasting and sharing Asante Kotoko’s game against Techiman Eleven Wonders on their official channels including Facebook and Youtube.
The television right holders are leaving no stone unturned in their bid to avoid ambush-marketing – vowing to deal ruthlessly with any organization that broadcast the content of the Premier League without approval.
But the directive from the Ghana FA has become hugely unpopular with a number of clubs including Asante Kotoko vowing to drag the association to court.
The Porcupine Warriors endured a hellish and nightmarish spell with officialdom over its decision to use the VEO, the cutting edge automatic camera for football during their league match against Eleven Wonders on Sunday.
For now it appears the new directive from the FA may not see the light of day with clubs bent on ignoring the unpopular directive and damned the consequences.
©Ghanasoccernet
