World football governing body, FIFA, has initiated disciplinary proceedings against the Ghana Football Association (GFA) for failing to comply fully with a decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
In an official letter from FIFA’s Legal and Compliance Division, dated June 3, 2025, and addressed to the GFA, which has been sighted by JoySports, FIFA stated that “…Ghana Football Association (the Respondent) did not comply in full a decision passed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) (the Decision).”
FIFA identified this as a potential breach of “Art. 21 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC) – Failure to respect decisions.”
CAS ordered Hearts of Oak to pay Francis Adjetey on February 26, which was reported by JoySports, but GFA failed to enforce the decision
Following the investigation, the secretariat to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee proposed the following sanction:
“The Respondent shall pay to Francis Adjetey (the Creditor) as follows: CHF 1,000 as arbitration costs.”
The GFA has been granted “a final deadline of 30 days as from the present proposal becoming final and binding in which to pay the amount(s) due and to enforce the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS) decision.”
FIFA made it clear that failure to comply by the deadline would have financial consequences.
The letter warned that “upon expiry of the aforementioned final deadline and in the event of persistent default or failure to comply in full with the Decision, 20% of the next FIFA Forward instalment due to the Respondent will be withheld by FIFA until the amount(s) due to the Creditor are paid.”
Additionally, FIFA threatened escalated sanctions if the GFA continues to default:
“If, after the first withholding, payment has still not been made pursuant to the Decision, a further 20% of the next FIFA Forward instalment will be withheld by FIFA and, at the Creditor’s request, the matter may be referred to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee for further measures.”
The GFA has been given the option to either accept the proposed sanction or submit its defence:
“In line with art. 58 FDC, the Respondent may reject the proposed sanction and submit its position before the FIFA Disciplinary Committee (along with any document deemed necessary) within five days of the notification of this communication.”
In such an event, “regular disciplinary proceedings will be conducted, and the FIFA Disciplinary Committee will decide on the case using the file in its possession.” FIFA tentatively scheduled the disciplinary committee’s meeting for “19 June 2025.”
FIFA also provided detailed instructions for legal representation:
“Should the Respondent wish to be represented, we kindly ask it to upload the respective Power of Attorney in the Legal Portal, indicating the corresponding registration (email address) which the legal representative would like to use as login credentials.”
Finally, FIFA reminded the GFA that the proposed sanction will become binding if no response is submitted: “Should the Respondent accept the proposed sanction, or in the absence of any response within the stipulated deadline, said sanction will become final and binding.”
FIFA stressed that this proposed sanction is “without prejudice to any future decision issued by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee, in case the proposal at hand is rejected by the Respondent.”
The letter, signed by Américo Espallargas, Head of Disciplinary, was copied to Francis Adjetey c/o Professional Footballers Association of Ghana (PFAG).
FIFA further directed that “The Respondent is directed to notify the secretariat to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee of every payment made and to provide the relevant proof of payment. The Creditor is directed to notify the secretariat to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee of every payment received.”