Abedi Pele to fight ban

ACCRA – Triple African Footballer of the Year Abedi Pele said he would appeal against a one-year suspension handed to him last week in a match fixing case.

The former European Cup winner was among officials and players from four clubs banned after two high scoring matches in the race for promotion to Ghana’s premier league last month. Abedi Pele’s club FC Nania won 31-0 over Okwawu United while rivals Great Mariners were 28-0 winners over Mighty Jets in results deemed by the Ghana Football Association to have been fixed.FC Nania, set up by the former Olympique Marseille player less than a decade ago, were seeking to reach the top flight of Ghana football for the first time.Abedi Pele, who is a member of Fifa standings committees and an ambassador for South Africa’s hosting of the 2010 World Cup finals, said he would seek to clear his name.”My contention is that while the score line may raise eyebrows, it does not provide irrefutable proof that the match was fixed,” he told the BBC in an interview.The association last week demoted all four clubs to Ghana’s third division and fined them $20 000 each.A total of 46 players from the four clubs were also suspended from playing for the rest of the season and the next campaign, the Ghana Football Association said.Nampa-ReutersAbedi Pele’s club FC Nania won 31-0 over Okwawu United while rivals Great Mariners were 28-0 winners over Mighty Jets in results deemed by the Ghana Football Association to have been fixed.FC Nania, set up by the former Olympique Marseille player less than a decade ago, were seeking to reach the top flight of Ghana football for the first time.Abedi Pele, who is a member of Fifa standings committees and an ambassador for South Africa’s hosting of the 2010 World Cup finals, said he would seek to clear his name.”My contention is that while the score line may raise eyebrows, it does not provide irrefutable proof that the match was fixed,” he told the BBC in an interview.The association last week demoted all four clubs to Ghana’s third division and fined them $20 000 each.A total of 46 players from the four clubs were also suspended from playing for the rest of the season and the next campaign, the Ghana Football Association said.Nampa-Reuters