The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has provisionally lifted a three-year ban placed on 26-year-old striker Solomon Safo-Taylor by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) Disciplinary Committee.
This ruling enables the former Asante Kotoko and Karela United forward to resume his professional football career while awaiting the outcome of his appeal.
The GFA imposed the ban on April 15, 2024, citing allegations of double registration and falsification of documents, which allegedly breached his contract with Asante Kotoko. Safo-Taylor appealed the decision on November 6, 2024, leading CAS to issue a provisional ruling in his favor on December 4, 2024.
The interim decision, signed by Dr. Elisabeth Steiner, Deputy President of the CAS Appeals Arbitration Division, reinstates Safo-Taylor’s player license and permits him to participate in football activities pending a final ruling. CAS’s provisional measures also overturn the GFA Appeals Committee’s earlier confirmation of the ban on May 29, 2024.
In response, the Professional Footballers Association of Ghana (PFAG) hailed the CAS decision as a victory for the player. In a statement, PFAG expressed optimism, saying:
“This CAS ruling signals an opportunity for our member to be reinstated so he can continue his professional football career pending a final determination on the matter.”
The GFA is yet to officially respond to the CAS decision. The arbitration’s final ruling will also determine the costs related to the interim measures.
