Nations FC CEO, Kwame Twumasi Danquah, has defended his club’s decision to delay and eventually abandon their Ghana Premier League fixture against Basake Holy Stars, citing inadequate police presence at the AAK Ampain II Sports Arena as the primary reason.
The much-anticipated Matchweek 33 encounter, which held significant weight in the race for winning the league title, was halted under controversial circumstances over the weekend.
Speaking in an interview, the Nations FC chief insisted the safety of players and officials could not be guaranteed, prompting their withdrawal from the game.
“We hadn’t started the game because we made a complaint that the policemen at the venue were not enough. We couldn’t take that risk,” the CEO stated.
According to GFA regulations, clubs are mandated to ensure adequate security at match venues—including the deployment of a minimum number of uniformed police officers. Nations FC claims that Basake Holy Stars, the home team, failed to meet this requirement.
The situation reportedly became increasingly tense after the awarding of a second penalty to the hosts—a decision that triggered protests from the Nations FC bench. While some sources speculated that the penalty incident led to the abandonment, Nations FC insists it was a matter of security, not officiating.
“We could not risk our players’ and staff’s well-being.”
In the aftermath, Basake Holy Stars petitioned the Ghana Football Association to award them all three points, arguing that Nations FC walked off the pitch without justifiable cause. They maintain that all necessary arrangements were made for the match to proceed.
The GFA’s Disciplinary Committee has since opened an investigation into the incident, requesting reports from the match officials, both clubs, and the match commissioner.
GFA to Rule on the Matter
With both teams standing firm on their positions, the GFA will now determine whether the match should be replayed, forfeited, or awarded—a ruling that could impact the final standings in a highly competitive GPL table.
By: Pascal Amoah
