Samuel Inkoom, who has represented Ghana and is currently registered for the Bulgarian club FC Vereya, is to serve a ban on taking part in any football-related activity. The ban will last for one year or until Mr Inkoom pays the total outstanding amount owed to his former agent, should this occur before the one-year ban has elapsed.

The origins of the case involve a decision passed by the Bureau of the Players’ Status Committee on 19 March 2014 regarding a contractual dispute, according to which Mr Inkoom was ordered to pay the players’ agent Andy Evans an amount owed to the latter based on the representation agreement between the two parties. The decision was taken on the basis of the FIFA Player’s Agents Regulations in force at the time (2008 edition).*

On 15 December 2014, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee decided to sanction Mr Inkoom with a fine of CHF 20,000 for failing to comply with the decision of the Bureau of the Players’ Status Committee on the basis of art. 64 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. The player was also granted a final period of grace of 180 days to settle his debt upon failure of which the creditor – Mr Evans – would be entitled to request that a one-year ban on taking part in any football-related activity be imposed on Mr Inkoom.

Mr Inkoom appealed the FIFA Disciplinary Committee’s decision at CAS but the appeal was dismissed and the decision of the Disciplinary Committee confirmed in full.

Following the expiry of the final deadline granted, Mr Evans requested that the one-year ban be imposed on Mr Inkoom in accordance with the decision of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee. The relevant parties, including the Bulgarian Football Union, which has been requested to implement said ban, have been informed accordingly.

*The FIFA Players’ Agents Regulations were replaced by the Regulations on Working with Intermediaries on 1 April 2015. Further information is available here.