The Executive Council of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has banned the Tamale Stadium indefinitely with immediate effect.

This decision was taken following assaults on the match officials by the home supporters in the Ghana Premier League match between Real Tamale United FC and Aduana FC on Sunday, 20 March 2022.

The Competitions Department of the GFA will now fix the venues for the upcoming home matches of Real Tamale United FC with due regard to the distance to be travelled by the away teams.

Below is the letter sent to the Club:

The seminars and meetings on Safety and Security at match venues organised by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) for clubs and the GFA Regulations on Safety and Security refer.

It is against this background of the efforts invested into promoting the safety and security at our matches that the association is shocked and extremely alarmed at the criminal assaults on the match officials at the Tamale Sports Stadium by the home supporters in the Premier League match between Real Tamale United FC and Aduana FC on Sunday, March 20, 2022.

Again, considering the fact that the GFA has a process for complaining about any alleged bad officiating (if any) for redress through the Match Review Panel, the Executive Council of the Association sees any attack on the match officials as “an attack against the entire sport, it being, unwarranted and criminal”.

The Executive Council has, accordingly exercised its powers under Article 14(2) of the Premier League Regulations and has banned the venue indefinitely.

14(2) “The GFA may order the closure of any league centre/venue where the safety of clubs, match officials and/or spectators cannot be guaranteed”.

The GFA also notes that supporters of the home team, Real Tamale United FC went into the inner perimeter and attacked the match officials and condemns, without any reservations, the violations of the GFA Approved Matchday COVID-19 Protocols and the Safety and Security regulations that took place at the match.

The GFA Prosecutors have been tasked to prefer the appropriate Charges immediately and for the Disciplinary Committee to sit on this matter expeditiously.

The GFA demands that Real Tamale United FC shall immediately assist the Police to cause the arrest of the persons involved in the attack on the match officials, without fail, in accordance with the promise given by the clubs to the Inspector General of Police in our engagement with the leadership of the Ghana Police Service.

The Association has instructed the Competitions Department to fix the venues for the upcoming home matches of Real Tamale United FC with due regards to the distance to be travelled by the away teams (note that matches can be fixed at the home of the away team if required).

That all clubs are to take note and comply strictly with the GFA match-day COVID-19 Protocols and the Safety & Security regulations.

The GFA wishes to sound a strong note of caution to all members (especially all clubs) that the slightest harassment or attack on Match Officials (Referees, Match Commissioners, GFA Cameramen & Women, Venue Media Officers, the sports media) shall be dealt with severely and swiftly.

Also, any comments from any player, team or club official and club social media handles that incite supporters against match officials shall be dealt with as well.

There shall be zero tolerance for violence and incitement to violence in our game, especially in this second round of the leagues.