There are two issues that might cause the misinformation from the GFA’s end.
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Setting the Records Straight: Kotoko's league titles circulated in a video by GFA challenged
Ahead of the epic clash between Hearts Oak and Asante Kotoko this Sunday, the Ghana Football Association has shared a video that indicates that the Porcupine Warriors have won 24 league titles instead of 23 titles.
League titles
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Double counting of the 1967/1968 season and the 2019 Special Competition. Some football journalist and fans still erroneously separate the 1967/68 season to make it 1967 and 1968 league seasons.This will make it double counting.
Asante Kototoko emerged league champions in 1967/68 season,so any attempt to separate it will make them champions in 1967 and 1968
Those who compiled the league champions some years back separated it, because the 1st round had a long break before it resumed,so it was counted separately from the 2nd round 1st round was played in 1967 while 2nd round in 1968.
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The error of counting the Special Cup Tier 1 as a league. The Normalisation Committee was clear on the Special Cup. They were played with the aim of keeping footballers active and to get Ghana’s rep in Africa.
The Tier 1 competition is not a league,because the members of the GFA and the Normalisation Committee did not intend to let it replace the league in 2019.
The GFA Congress which is the highest decision-making body before the start of the 2019/20 season officially cancelled the 2018 season and indicated that football has returned afterwards.
According to the status of the GFA demotion, promotion and championships are determined by congress before the start of every football season.
Because the Tier 1 competition is not a league the GFA did not even give it any proper mention let alone recognize Kotoko as league champions.
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There is this school of thought that argues that because the Special Competition was played to offer football clubs the opportunity to represent Ghana in Africa it should be considered as a league.
However, it should be noted that winning the league and FA Cup or being the immediate past league and FA Cup champion is not the only guarantee for clubs to participate in Africa inter club competitions.
The FA can at any time make internal arrangements and send a club to Africa. We have had instances league wasn’t played for four and two consecutive seasons in Libya and Egypt respectively, yet they got a rep in Africa in those seasons.
In Ghana’s case an arrangement was made by the NC with the clubs to play the Special Competition in order to offer players, the chance to be active and to also select a rep in Africa.
Initially it was supposed to be a one league system among division One and Premier League clubs but the elite clubs kicked against it.
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The Special Competition can be considered as a league if the current GFA at congress agrees to it.
Since nothing of that sort has been done yet, the Special Competition can’t be considered as a league.
I am therefore calling out the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to come and clarify why it stated in a video to promote the Kotoko-Hearts encounter that Asante Kotoko have 24 league titles instead of 23.
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