GFA Hands Three-Match Ban, Fine to Hearts Assistant Over Matchday Incident
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) Disciplinary Committee has come down hard on Hearts of Oak assistant coach Gazale Abdulai after an incident during the club’s Ghana Premier League clash with Medeama SC.
Following a thorough assessment of match reports and supporting evidence, the Committee concluded that Abdulai acted inappropriately during the encounter. He was found guilty of assaulting a ball retriever in the course of the game, an offence the GFA described as a breach of acceptable conduct.
In its ruling, the Committee slapped the Hearts assistant coach with a three-match suspension from all league activities, in addition to a GH₵5,000 fine. He was also formally warned to adhere strictly to the Association’s code of conduct going forward.
The suspension takes immediate effect, meaning Abdulai will be absent from the Phobians’ technical bench for their next three Ghana Premier League fixtures, at a time when the club is pushing through a critical stretch of the season.
The GFA further instructed that the monetary penalty must be paid within 14 days from the date the decision was officially communicated. Failure to meet the deadline, the Association cautioned, could attract additional sanctions.
The governing body stressed that the ruling was in line with provisions of the GFA Disciplinary Code, which offers protection to all matchday personnel, including ball retrievers, whose role is considered vital to the smooth conduct of games.
