Four-time Ghana Premier League winners, Ashantigold SC will participate in the Ghanaian third-tier next season after being found guilty of match manipulation.
Last year, an unfortunate incident happened when Ashantigold and Inter Allies clashed in the final round of the Ghana Premier League campaign.
Hashim Musah, who is an Inter Allies centre-back confessed to scoring the two intentional own goals during the clash against Ashanti Gold.
Musah came off the bench and scored two own goals in the final 12 minutes, leaving Inter Allies 7-0 down.
The defender claims he netted the two goals on purpose because he believes the score had been agreed in advance for betting purposes.
However, the Ghanaian giants have been demoted following a verdict from the Ghana FA Disciplinary Committee which found officials and players of the team involved in match-fixing and manipulation.
The team has also been fined Ghc 100,000.
Meanwhile, the President and the Chief Executive of the Club Dr Kwaku Frimpong and Emmanuel Frimpong have been handed a 10 and 8-year ban respectively.
Some players of the club who were involved in the match-fixing after investigations carried out have been handed several bans by the Ghana FA Disciplinary Committee.
The Verdict released by the Ghana FA on Ashantigold SC demotion to Division read as follows
Following a verdict released by the Disciplinary Committee of the Ghana FA
The Club was charged for a breach of Article 34(5)(a) of the Ghana Premier League Regulations (2019) for instigating, commanding, and counselling its players to play a fixed match or match of convenience between Ashantigold SC and Inter Allies FC to achieve a result in favor of Ashantigold SC
- To protect the sporting integrity of football in Ghana Per Article 18(1) & (2) of the GFA Disciplinary Code 2019, Ashantigold Sporting Club as a corporate entity is sanctioned as follows:
- That at the end of the 2021/22 Ghana Premier League season, Ashantigold SC shall be demoted to the Division Two League in accordance with Article 6(3)(h) of the GFA Disciplinary Code 2019.
- That a fine of GHc100,000.00 is imposed on Ashantigold SC in accordance with Article 6(1)(c) and Article 6(4) of the GFA Disciplinary Code 2019.