CAS upholds disqualification of George Afriyie from 2023 GFA presidential race

George Afriyie’s appeal to overturn his disqualification from the 2023 Ghana Football Association (GFA) presidential election has been unsuccessful, as the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has upheld the initial decision made by the Election Committee.

This outcome confirms Kurt Okraku as President of GFA for a second term after he stood unopposed last year.

The reason behind Afriyie’s disqualification was his submission of faulty endorsement documents for his candidacy, specifically using an uncertified individual named Jeffrey Asare to sign the papers.

Further investigation revealed that Asare did not hold a directorship role at Victory Club Warriors FC, contradicting what was stated on the endorsement forms.

Although Afriyie appealed the decision internally within the GFA, it proved unfavourable. He then escalated the case to CAS, hoping for a different verdict.

However, after careful consideration, CAS sided with the original decision made by the Elections Committee. In response to this final judgment, Afriyie released a statement acknowledging the outcome:

“I have today received the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) regarding my appeal against the Decision of the Elections Committee of the Ghana Football Association (GFA),” the statement read.

“The CAS, in their decision, has upheld the decision of the Elections Committee of the GFA. I take the decision in good faith. I express my sincere gratitude to everyone who supported me during this period.”

This concludes the months-long dispute between Afriyie and the GFA, starting back in September 2023 when the initial disqualification took place.