Refs boss Alex Kotey calls for improved officiating
Referees Manager of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Alex Kotey has urged top-flight referees to improve following the suspension of four referees.
The match officials including MahamaEwuntoma, EsoDoh Morrison, Gabriel OpokuArhin and Andrew Awurisa have all been handed suspensions by the Match Review Panel.
“With the complaints and decisions from the match review panel, we have had the opportunity to read through the decision. In the case of the Kotokogame, they talked about the Ganiu incident, it was a serious foul play.
Ganiu was not aiming at the ball but the human being, the red card should have gone but the referee opted for a yellow card. I am advising our referees not to compromise on some of these things; if it’s a red card, give a red card. You shouldn’t say it’s minimal hence showing a yellow card,” the Referees Manager said.
Alex Kotey added, “The GFA and the clubs have invested a lot of money in the league so referees must also improve on their performance. They have to do more training and not only when they are going for their fitness test.”
Referee Doh Morrison was handed an eight-match suspension for awarding Aduana Stars a wrong penalty against Hearts of Oak on matchday 3.
The Panel on MahamaEwuntoma indicated that the referee admitted an error in awarding a penalty to Ashantigold SC in their week two encounter against Karela United and was handed a six-match ban.
With regard to referee OpokuArhin, the Match Review Panel found the referee guilty of not giving a red card to Ismail Abdul-Ganiyu for a bad tackle on Bechem United’s Emmanuel Avornyo, therefore handing him a six-match ban.
