TIG Post

Tag: Referees

  • Ancelotti fumes at Tebas, says he “talks about Real Madrid too much”

    Ancelotti fumes at Tebas, says he “talks about Real Madrid too much”

    Carlo Ancelotti pushed back against Javier Tebas on Tuesday, criticizing the LaLiga president for frequently commenting on Real Madrid. He also accused Tebas of being disrespectful after the latter claimed the club was “crying” over refereeing decisions.

    Madrid has expressed frustration over several recent officiating calls, particularly after dropping points against Espanyol, Atlético Madrid, and Osasuna in successive league matches. In response, the club filed a formal complaint with the Spanish football federation (RFEF) this month, alleging referee misconduct and match manipulation.

    At a talk with the news agency Europa Press on Monday, Tebas said he was “starting to feel ashamed” of being a Real Madrid fan, saying the club was “crying” about officials and creating a “conspiracy theory” which was “an insult to the rest of the clubs.”

    “Tebas talks about Real Madrid too much,” Ancelotti said in a news conference on Tuesday, ahead of Madrid’s Copa del Rey semifinal first leg at Real Sociedad.

    “Since I’ve been here, it’s happened often. It’s a lack of respect to millions of Madrid fans to talk like that. The president of LaLiga should focus more on solving the problems that Spanish football has.”


    Madrid have frequently highlighted officials’ decisions on their TV channel, before and after matches. President Florentino Pérez has called for reform of the refereeing system, and RFEF president Rafael Louzan has even claimed that Pérez told him he’d like to see English referees in Spain.

    “I don’t know what ‘shame’ [Tebas] feels,” Ancelotti said. “I think all Madridistas are proud to be fans of this club.”

    Also on Tuesday, Tebas hit back at Ancelotti’s comments saying on X: “Carlo, it’s a shame that they’re using you for this, given the experience you have.”

    Tebas aimed his comment directly at Ancelotti, saying: “Carlo, everyone knows that institutions are reflected in what their leaders do and say. And in football, even more so. So, when I said that ‘Real Madrid has become a club that cries a lot,’ I was obviously referring to the fact that it is its leaders who are constructing this victim and conspiratorial narrative: ‘an adulterated competition,’ ‘the bias of all referees is anti-Madrid,’ ‘they are all against Real Madrid’…

    “Strange, isn’t it? Because that speech, besides being disrespectful to the competition, is also disrespectful to the clubs that beat you on the field, either because they were better or simply because they were luckier. That is disrespectful to millions of fans.

    “I have been a Madrid fan since I was a child, and this whole narrative that the management is promoting goes against the values ​​that we have always known.”

  • ‘From what I hear, nobody is happy with referees’ – Ancelotti to LaLiga prez

    ‘From what I hear, nobody is happy with referees’ – Ancelotti to LaLiga prez

    Carlo Ancelotti has responded to LaLiga president Javier Tebas’ criticism, asserting that Real Madrid’s complaints about refereeing decisions are driven by a desire to “improve things” and “change a system they don’t like.”

    Madrid lodged a formal complaint with the Spanish football federation (RFEF) earlier this week, expressing their anger over the decision not to send off Espanyol defender Carlos Romero—who went on to score the winning goal—for a challenge on Kylian Mbappé during Madrid’s 1-0 defeat at the RCDE Stadium last Saturday.

    At a meeting of LaLiga clubs with the RFEF and the refereeing body, the CTA, which Madrid chose not to attend, Tebas claimed on Thursday that Madrid had “lost their minds” over the issue, accusing the club of “constructing a narrative of victimhood.”

    “It’s something that I’d prefer not to discuss before such an important game,” Ancelotti said in a news conference on Friday, ahead of Real’s crucial derby with title rivals Atlético Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu.

    “But Tebas can stay calm. Nobody here has lost their minds. We’ve asked for an explanation of what happened, to try to improve things, to try to change the system.”

    Real Madrid has requested that the federation release the audio recordings of conversations between on-field referee Alejandro Muñiz Ruiz and video assistant referee Javier Iglesias Villanueva regarding the foul on Kylian Mbappé and an earlier disallowed goal by Vinícius Júnior.

    Ancelotti said that request had so far gone unheeded, despite RFEF president Rafael Louzan saying on Thursday that the federation had “nothing to hide.”

    “From what I hear, nobody is happy [with referees],” Ancelotti said. “People think it’s a system that favours Real Madrid, but when Real Madrid want to change it, everyone is against it. That surprises me a bit … We haven’t received [the audio]. I don’t know why they don’t want to give it to us. You’d have to ask them.”

  • FIFA awards 2025 badges to 22 Ghanaian referees

    FIFA awards 2025 badges to 22 Ghanaian referees

    Twenty-two referees from Ghana have received FIFA badges for the 2025 football season. The badges were awarded at a short ceremony held at the Ghana Football Association (GFA) headquarters in Accra on January 21, 2025.

    Each year, FIFA gives badges to top-performing referees based on their performance in the previous year and their results in the FIFA Test.

    This year, the group includes 10 center referees, 10 assistant referees, one futsal referee, one beach soccer referee, and one video assistant referee (VAR).

    Out of the 22 referees, 12 are men and 8 are women, showing Ghana’s growing presence in international refereeing.

    GFA President Kurt Okraku congratulated them and reminded them that they represent Ghanaian football on the world stage.

    “Your performances have justified the trust CAF and FIFA have in you. This recognition reflects your dedication and excellence,” he said while urging them to aim even higher.

    During the ceremony, officials discussed the challenges referees face and stressed the need to maintain high standards. GFA General Secretary, Prosper Harrison Addo, emphasized the importance of consistent performance, as FIFA reviews the badges every year.

    President Kurt Okraku, General Secretary Addo, and Referees Appointment Committee Chairperson, Christine Enyonam Zigah, handed out the badges. Other committee members and officials also attended the event.

  • FIFA grants approval to include 30 Nigerian referees on international lists for 2024

    FIFA grants approval to include 30 Nigerian referees on international lists for 2024

    FIFA has granted approval for the inclusion of 30 Nigerian referees on the international lists for the year 2024.

    This sanctioned group comprises 11 referees, 11 assistant referees, four beach soccer referees, and four futsal referees.

    The 11 referees authorised for international duty in 2024 are: Basheer Salisu, Ogabor Odey Joseph, Olufunmilayo Abigael Alaba, Nurudeen Abubakar, Abdulsalam Kasimu Abiola, Elaigwe Hannah Enekole, Akintoye Yemisi Eunice, Egba Patrick John, Madu Ndidi Patience, Mustapha Grema Mohammed, and Abdullahi Abubakar.

    The 11 individuals approved as assistant referees include: Pwadutakam Samuel, Igudia Efosa Celestine, Abibatu Iyadunni, Muhammad Yakubu, Mfon Friday Akpan, Digbori Tejiri, Usman Abdulmajeed Olaide, Igho Hope Ogenekewe, Terah Kabenda Beauty, Ahmad Mustapha Tijjani, and Agbons Faith.

    For futsal soccer, Ukah Ndubuisi Odigomma, Musa Dung Davou, Umuago Paul Akpome, and Bello Zuru Alhassan have been included, while Ogunmuyiwa Jelili, Fawole Olawale Adeolu, Olajide Olayinka, and Rabiu Ahmad made the list for beach soccer.

    FIFA’s approval underscores the recognition and competence of these Nigerian referees at the international level for the upcoming year.

  • GFA pledges GHC300,000 to support referee payments

    GFA pledges GHC300,000 to support referee payments


    Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kurt Okraku     has made a significant announcement regarding the support provided to referees in regional matches.

    Speaking at the GFA’s Congress in Kumasi, Okraku expressed the association’s commitment to easing the financial burden on clubs by facilitating the payment of referee fees.

    Okraku revealed that a sum of GHS300,000 will be invested in supporting the payment of referees in regional matches.

    This initiative aims to alleviate the financial strain on clubs and ensure fair compensation for the referees’ services.

    By taking this step, the GFA demonstrates its dedication to enhancing the integrity and smooth operation of regional matches by providing the necessary financial support to referees.

    “We will invest GHS300,000 to help in the payment of referee fees in regions. Clubs don’t have to take the burden alone,” Okraku stated.

    The Congress, held at the Great Hall of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), saw Okraku address various issues and make promises that were well received by stakeholders in attendance.

    However, Okraku also emphasised the importance of protecting Ghanaian football and highlighted the efforts made by him and the Executive Council to restore its reputation and revitalize the national football brand.

    “I’m not interested in destroying the brand, Ghana football. If indeed you love Ghana football, you should be interested in building the brand and not being destroyed.

    “When we took over, this brand was badly damaged,” Okraku asserted.

    He further underlined his commitment to strengthening the sport’s foundation and ensuring its long-term growth and success.

    The Congress provided an opportunity for stakeholders to unite in their efforts to support and develop Ghana football, with Okraku’s announcement regarding referee payments reflecting the association’s dedication to fair play and the sustainable development of the sport.

  • List of referee attacks on players including Fernando Hernandez, Constantine Hatzidakis incident

    List of referee attacks on players including Fernando Hernandez, Constantine Hatzidakis incident

    On April 9, a tragic event occurred during Arsenal’s thrilling match against Liverpool at Anfield after a linesman seemed to elbow Andy Robertson during halftime.

    Since then, it has been verified by the organisation in charge of match officials, Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), that linesman Constantine Hatzidakis has been the subject of an instant inquiry.

    Given that Robertson could have suffered dearly if the tables were turned, supporters and several stakeholders have urged for harsh punishment. For pushing Chris Kavanagh, Aleksandr Mitrovic is presently serving an eight-game suspension.

    The Hatzidakis incident has given us the perfect excuse to review the other times referees attacked players and what happened to them.

    1. Tony Chapron

    This could easily pass as a classic case of revenge. The Ligue 1 referee was accidentally tripped by Nantes defender Diego Carlos. Chapron, however, angrily reacted by attempting to take him down with a studs-up challenge during a counterattack.

    To makes matters worse, Carlos, now at Aston Villa, was given a second yellow card. Luckily, the red card decision was rescinded and Chapron was handed a six-month ban.

    2. Fernando Hernandez

    The Liga MX referee was spotted by TV replays assaulting Lucas Romero by raising his knee towards the player’s groin area.

    The incident happened during a match between Club America and Leon. Romero complained of a decision that did not go his team’s way. For his troubles, he was booked and got a knee.

    Hernandez was hit with a 12-match ban.

    3. Darren Drysdale

    This could easily have turned into a full-scale brawl were it not for the quick interceptions by the surrounding players. Ipswich Town’s Alan Judge got more than what he had bargained for when he squared up with referee Drysdale during their game against Northampton.

    Judge had perhaps thought he could air his disagreement with the referee and walk away, only for Drysdale to lean forward and confront him. The referee was left out of the subsequent EFL games.

    4. Alexis Meza

    While the EFL game did not generate into chaos, an Argentina match pitting Ocampo Fabrica and Hura in 2017 did. The incident in Lionel Messi’s homeland started when referee Alexis Meza gave out a second yellow card to a player, Carlos Godoy.

    In Meza’s defence, Godoy threw the first punches(from minute 5:05), seemingly incensed with the decision. Meza then reacted by throwing a couple of his own as other players and officials stepped in.

    5. Constantine Hatzidakis

    Sports Brief reported that much talk will be centred around Paul Tierney’s decisions, with the official dishing out five cards in the first half. The hosts got three, but more peculiarly, will be the one awarded to Andrew Robertson.

    The Scot was yellow-carded after the halftime whistle had gone, with captain Jordan Henderson leading the inquisition as to why his teammate had been booked.

    Video evidence has now shown that the Reds fullback was elbowed by the linesman. Robertson appeared to voice his discontent with the linesman before Constantine Hatzidakis (linesman) swung his arm and appeared to catch the 29-year-old.

  • Been 17 years, Real Madrid release videos of former referee mistakes against them

    Been 17 years, Real Madrid release videos of former referee mistakes against them

    Real Madrid’s complaints against Iturralde Gonzalez have intensified as a result of a compilation of the mistakes made by the former Spanish referee that was shared on social media.

    Real Madrid was upset with Iturralde Gonzalez after he criticised the La Liga champions for making videos of frequent refereeing errors against them.

    Real Madrid’s actions, which come after Barcelona was accused of paying referees by Spanish prosecutors, were described as “gross and indecent” by the former referee, according to SB Nation.

    Real Madrid responded by releasing a video of the former referee’s errors against them over the course of more than 17 years. Iturralde has also defended Barcelona in the Negreira case.

    Real Madrid in their post revealed Iturralde as a referee who has finally taken off his mask and is now dedicated to attacking the club from the media.

    Real Madrid to be involved in Barcelona’s refereeing case

    Meanwhile, Real Madrid has revealed they will be involved in legal proceedings of the Barcelona referee payments scandal after the Catalan club was charged by Spanish prosecutors, Goal reports.

    Los Blancos issued a statement revealing their stance after discussions between president Florentino Perez and the club’s board of directors after their board meeting on Sunday, March 12.

    An investigation revealed Barcelona had made payments to former vice-president of the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA), Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira.

    Barcelona unhappy with Real Madrid Earlier, Sports Brief reported Barcelona and Real Madrid may be bitter rivals on the field of play, but at a boardroom level, they’re not against working with each other.

    Presidents, Joan Laporta (Barcelona) and Florentino Perez (Real Madrid) have worked together in the past, despite the animosity between the two sets of supporters.

    The Catalan club are deeply upset by Madrid’s latest statement. Los Blancos have since put out a statement that they will be present against Barcelona in the upcoming hearings.

  • MTN FA Cup: Angry Kotoko fans blame elimination on referee

    MTN FA Cup: Angry Kotoko fans blame elimination on referee

    Supporters of Asante Kotoko have accused referee Amadu Ibrahim of being to blame for their MTN FA Cup Round of 16 loss to Aduana Stars on February 26, 2023, on various social media platforms.

    Aduana Stars defeated the Porcupine Warrior at the Nana Agyemang Badu II in Dormaa Ahenkro, ending their chances of winning a second consecutive championship in the ongoing 2022–2023 football season.

    Aduana Stars took the lead in the 57th minute after Mohammed Alhassan was ruled to have fouled his defender by the referee. The game was closely contested, and both teams missed opportunities.

    Sam Adams converted the penalty kick to score the game’s lone goal, sending goalkeeper Fred Asare the wrong way.

    The decision didn’t go down well with Asante Kotoko fans, including coach Seydou Zerbo, who laid the blame at the doorstep of referee Amadu Ibrahim.

    Asante Kotoko has been eliminated from the MTN FA Cup six times since winning it in 2017.

  • Referees are paid after every four games – Henry Asante Twum

    Referees are paid after every four games – Henry Asante Twum

    Ghana Football Association spokesman Henry Asante Twum has revealed that referees in all the Ghana Premier League, Women’s Premier League, and the Division One are paid after every four games.

    Henry Asante Twum also revealed that the Ghana FA pays referees through mobile money (momo) and payments are made across the board.

    He assured football fans that this payment policy does not affect the performances of referees.

    “The policy is that payment are made after every four games or every four weeks. So from match day 1, 2,3, 4 when we complete the four then we put everything together then we pay,” he told Asempa FM.

    “Whether Premier, Division One, Women’s Premier League so sometimes after the first four it can continue to eight matches which will be outstanding because we want to add everything up. So four Premier, four division one, and four women’s league. After every four round of games then we add up. We pay them through momo,”

  • Female referees deserve to be at Qatar World Cup, says Mukansanga

    Salima Mukansanga, one of the three female referees who will officiate at a men’s World Cup for the first time, said they have been chosen for the tournament in Qatar not simply based on their gender but because they deserve the chance.

    Rwanda’s Mukansanga, Yamashita Yoshimi of Japan and Frenchwoman Stephanie Frappart along with three female assistant referees have been selected for the World Cup, which begins on Sunday.

    “We are here because we deserve to be here. Back at our confederation, or back at home it is another level, so this is the biggest level of football,” Mukansanga told reporters in Doha on Friday.

    “So being here means we deserve to be here, it’s not a change or because we are women.”

    Assistant referee Kathryn Nesbitt of the United States said they feel welcome.

    “We feel like we are one referee team here, no difference man or woman,” she said.

     

  • Two Ghanaian referees to face the law for betting

    The Ghana Football Association has filed charges against two referees from Ghana, Philip Atta Forson and Isaac Osei, for participating in sports betting.

    According to the GFA, Atta Forson and Isaac Osei placed bets on multiple games in Ghana thus “breaching Article 26 of the GFA Code of Ethics, 2019 and Article 11(1) of the GFA Disciplinary Code, 2019”.

    They have until Wednesday, August 8, 2022, to produce a written response about the charge.

     

    Read the full GFA statement in the post below:

    Two Referees have been charged for breaching Article 26 of the GFA Code of Ethics, 2019 and Article 11(1) of the GFA Disciplinary Code,2019.

    Referee Philip Atta Forson and Isaac Osei have both been charged after being found by the GFA integrity Officer to have placed bets on sports betting platforms on various football matches.

    Charge sheets have been sent to the two referees and they are to send their written responses on or before 5 pm on Wednesday, August 8, 2022.

    After receiving their responses, the GFA Disciplinary Committee will form a panel to adjudicate their respective cases.

  • Anas exposé has affected referees – GFA Referees Manager

    Newly appointed GFA Referees Manager, Mr. Alex Quartey has spoken about the bad image Ghanaian referees had during the Anas Exposé.

    Mr. Alex Quartey was appointed as a Referees Manager on Tuesday, 26 May 2020.

    In an interview with Gattuso on Kingdom Fm All Sports, Mr. Alex Quartey revealed that the explosive documentary has dented the image of referees in the country.

    “It affected us and it was not only Ghanaian referees but other foreign referees was involved during the WAFU tournament.

    “It was a blow to African Football and I think all the referees have learnt something from it. I think it has just awakened us up and it is there to guide us so that we will not go back to it again.”

    He advised the referees and all Ghanaian Football bodies for not going back to it but to think about the positive.

    “We must rather be looking at the positive. Let’s promote the positive. I have been offered money before but I reported on that. It is gone and we don’t need to always go back for the past, the past is there to guide us. What is in front is needed most.”He ended.

    Source: Isaac Ganyo Tamakloe, contributor

  • We need your support – GFA Referees Manager appeals to media

    Alex Kotei, the newly-appointed Referees Manager for the GFA has approached the media to help the Referees Committee for a successful work.

    Speaking on Kingdom Fm All Sports Show, Alex Kotei said that the success of his work depends on the support of all stakeholders including the media.

    He urged the media to highlight the positive aspect of refereeing in the country.

    “There are structures. The FA have putting in place structures. Structures like assessment, classification committee, the technical committee, the match review panel etc. All these structures are in place and we can’t eliminate the media because this structures can not work without the media. The media has a critical role to play. The media will promote that structures.”

    “The media, they have a critical role to play so that whatever plans and structures you have will be promoted. Because whenever the structures are working you need someone to promote that thing and it is the media.”

    Source: Isaac Ganyo Tamakloe, contributor

  • Ghana FA to have new refereeing structure

    The Executive Council of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has approved a new refereeing structure for the federation.

    The new structure is to ensure the separation of personnel in the various functions of refereeing in Ghana. It seeks to consolidate the gains achieved so far and to strive for new heights.

    The structure includes the Referees Committee, Match Review Panel, Assessors and Classification Panel and the Refereeing Department with different personnel serving on each function of refereeing to drive for more effectiveness and speedy response to complaints by clubs.

    The Referees Committee will continue its work of appointing referees to all competitions and all matches organized or sanctioned by the GFA including Futsal and Beach Soccer matches.

    The Assessors and Classification Panel will analyze, evaluate and assess the performance of referees by using a marking system provided by FIFA to classify and categorize referees to help the development, promotion and demotion of referees by the Referees Committee.

    The Refereeing Department, whose responsibility includes providing administrative support and assistance to the Referees Committee, will be headed by the Referees Manager, who reports to the General Secretary of the GFA.

    The Refereeing Department will also have its own Instructors (Physical Instructors and Technical Instructors) and other experts who would support the education of referees in Ghana.

    The GFA intends to roll out a comprehensive refereeing development program to recruit and train Referee Assessors, Referee Instructors (Physical and Technical), Beach Soccer Referees, Futsal Referees, Women Referees, Grassroots Referees (Catch them young policy), Talented and Promising Referees. There will also be refresher courses for category 1, 2 and 3 referees.

    The GFA would continue to invest in referees by providing the requisite equipment to aide their work.

    The new structure is aimed at ensuring that the Association implements fully the FIFA regulations on the organization of refereeing in member Associations.

    Source: ghanafa.org

  • Executive Council of GFA approves new structure for referees

    The Executive Council of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has approved a new refereeing structure for the federation.

    The new structure is to ensure the separation of personnel in the various functions of refereeing in Ghana. It seeks to consolidate the gains achieved so far and to strive for new heights.

    The structure includes the Referees Committee, Match Review Panel, Assessors and Classification Panel and the Refereeing Department with different personnel serving on each function of refereeing to drive for more effectiveness and speedy response to complaints by clubs.

    The Referees Committee will continue its work of appointing referees to all competitions and all matches organized or sanctioned by the GFA including Futsal and Beach Soccer matches.

    The Assessors and Classification Panel will analyze, evaluate and assess the performance of referees by using a marking system provided by FIFA to classify and categorize referees to help the development, promotion and demotion of referees by the Referees Committee.

    The Refereeing Department, whose responsibility includes providing administrative support and assistance to the Referees Committee, will be headed by the Referees Manager, who reports to the General Secretary of the GFA.

    The Refereeing Department will also have its own Instructors (Physical Instructors and Technical Instructors) and other experts who would support the education of referees in Ghana.

    The GFA intends to roll out a comprehensive refereeing development program to recruit and train Referee Assessors, Referee Instructors (Physical and Technical), Beach Soccer Referees, Futsal Referees, Women Referees, Grassroots Referees (Catch them young policy), Talented and Promising Referees. There will also be refresher courses for category 1, 2 and 3 referees.

    The GFA would continue to invest in referees by providing the requisite equipment to aide their work.

    The new structure is aimed at ensuring that the Association implements fully the FIFA regulations on the organization of refereeing in member Associations.

    Source: 3 News

  • GFA Executive Council approves new refereeing structure

    The Executive Council of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has approved a new refereeing structure for the federation.

    The new structure is to ensure the separation of personnel in the various functions of refereeing in Ghana. It seeks to consolidate the gains achieved so far and to strive for new heights.

    The structure includes the Referees Committee, Match Review Panel, Assessors and Classification Panel and the Refereeing Department with different personnel serving on each function of refereeing to drive for more effectiveness and speedy response to complaints by clubs.

    The Referees Committee will continue its work of appointing referees to all competitions and all matches organized or sanctioned by the GFA including Futsal and Beach Soccer matches.

    The Assessors and Classification Panel will analyze, evaluate and assess the performance of referees by using a marking system provided by FIFA to classify and categorize referees to help the development, promotion and demotion of referees by the Referees Committee.

    The Refereeing Department, whose responsibility includes providing administrative support and assistance to the Referees Committee, will be headed by the Referees Manager, who reports to the General Secretary of the GFA.

    The Refereeing Department will also have its own Instructors (Physical Instructors and Technical Instructors) and other experts who would support the education of referees in Ghana.

    The GFA intends to roll out a comprehensive refereeing development program to recruit and train Referee Assessors, Referee Instructors (Physical and Technical), Beach Soccer Referees, Futsal Referees, Women Referees, Grassroots Referees (Catch them young policy), Talented and Promising Referees. There will also be refresher courses for category 1, 2 and 3 referees.

    The GFA would continue to invest in referees by providing the requisite equipment to aide their work.

    The new structure is aimed at ensuring that the Association implements fully the FIFA regulations on the organization of refereeing in member Associations.

    Source: ghanafa.org

  • Alex Kotey and Richard Atifu apply for Ghana FA Referees Manager position

    Retired referees Alex Kotey and Richard Atifu have applied for the vacant Ghana Football Association Referees Manager position.

    The experienced duo put in their applications after the Ghana FA re-posted vacation for the Referees Manager position.

    This was after an unsuccessful search for a qualified person below the 40-years age limit.

    ”This is after the GFA could not get a successful candidate within the set age limit of 40 years from the first vacancy announcement,” Ghana FA statement read.

    ”The reopening of the vacancy for the GFA Referees Manager, this time, comes with no age limits.

    ”Applications MUST be sent by email to ghanacv2020@gmail.com on or before 5 pm on Sunday, April 19, 2020.”

    Source: GHANAsoccernet.com

  • Ghana Premier League referees to receive monies owed them next week

    The Ghana Football Association have announced plans to pay Referees of the Ghana Premier League part of the monies owed them.
    According to the General Secretary of GFA, Referees in the league will pocket four matchdays allowance next week.

    The referees have only received allowances from the only four match days, despite handling games till matchday 15.

    Each referee receives GHC 780 after-tax per game as allowance for handling men’s game with the women receiving GHC 468 per match And with the league on break, there is uncertainty as to whether the rest of their allowances will be paid in due time.

    However, the General Secretary of the GFA, has confirmed in an interview that the association will be paid part of the allowances in the coming days.

    “For payments from matchday 5 to matchday 8 in the Ghana Premier League for referees, the money will get to the referees next week.”

    Prosper also hinted that the association is looking at paying referees before matches when done with the settling of their arrears. He said the GFA intend on starting that this season.

    Meanwhile, The Ghana Premier League has been postponed until further notice to control the spread of the Covid-19.
    Ghana’s case count now stands at 137 with four deaths and two recoveries.

    Source: primenewsghana.com

  • Former Premier League official Bobby Madley to return to refereeing

    Ex-Premier League referee Bobby Madley says he has accepted an opportunity to officiate in England again.

    Madley was sacked by Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) in 2018 after sending a video mocking a disabled person to a friend.

    Following discussions with PGMOL, Madley will return as an official at League One and League Two level from the start of next season.

    Madley, 34, says he has also agreed to attend an FA discrimination workshop.

    He will also work at grassroots level for the remainder of this season before becoming a National List referee.

    In a blog post, Madley wrote: “Eighteen months ago I lost my dream job as a professional football referee due my own regrettable, naive and stupid actions.

    “I am delighted, however, that I have been given the opportunity to return to referee in the professional game in England.”

    He added: “I am not proud of my actions in 2018 and I have learned from this and feel I am a better and stronger person for it.

    “PGMOL dealt with what they considered a discriminatory act in the strongest way. There can be no criticism for that and I have never sought to do anything other than respect the decision and to learn from it as a person.

    “I can only thank them for having the ability to forgive, recognise that one naive moment does not define a person and offer me a second chance to do what I love to do.”

    Madley took charge of 91 top-flight matches between 2013 and 2018 until he was sacked.

    Following his dismissal he moved to Norway where he has refereed in the lower leagues.

    Source: bbc.com

  • English referee to officiate Hearts-Kotoko clash in London

    Organizers for the historic Super Two clash to be played between Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko in London have disclosed that the English Football Association will appoint a referee to officiate the game.

    The two Ghanaian giants will face off in an Independence Game which will be played at the Barnet Stadium in London on 7 March, 2020.

    There were concerns raised during the launch as to which referee will officiate the game during the launch by the two supporters.

    Justin Addo, of HRH Sports Consultancy said the referee for the game will be appointed by the English FA.

    According to the General Secretary Of the Ghana Football Association, Prosper Harrison Addo, it falls in the jurisdiction of the English FA to appoint the referee for the game.

    Source: GHANAsoccernet.com

  • GFA bans Referee Hamid Sessay for four matches

    The Referees Committee of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has handed a four-match ban to Referee Hamid Sessay following the Ghana Premier League match between Great Olympics and West Africa Football Academy (WAFA) at the Accra Sports Stadium.

    The decision was followed after the committee received two complaints from the home side, Great Olympics on the performance of the Referee.

    The first complaint was on a penalty claim after Gladson Awako “was heavily brought down” on 62nd minute inside the penalty box.

    The second complaint relates to a foul on the same player in the 70th minute which Olympics again felt they deserved a penalty.

    After a critical review, the Committee found that the referee was correct not to give a penalty in the complaint on the 62nd-minute because the incident happened outside the box and there was no contact between the defender and the attacking player.

    However, it was found out that the second incident merited a penalty because the defender brought down the Olympics forward in the penalty box in the full view of the referee.

    The referee, therefore, made a clear and obvious error in ignoring it.

    The committee also found that Referee Hamid Sessay was generally not at his best for that particular game.

    It was therefore recommended that a four-match ban be placed on referee Sessay for the clear and obvious error. The length of the ban takes into account the fact that this is the first infraction on his part this season.

    Source: GNA

  • GFA slaps four-match ban on referee Hamid Sessay

    The GFA Referees Committee took this decision after receiving two complaints from Great Olympics on the performance of the Referee.

    The first complaint was on a penalty claim after Gladson Awako “was heavily brought down” on 62nd minute inside the penalty box.

    The second complaint relates to a foul on the same player in the 70th minute which Olympics again felt they deserved a penalty.

    After a critical review, the Committee found that the referee was correct not to give a penalty in the complaint on the 62nd-minute because the incident happened outside the box and there was no contact between the defender and the attacking player.

    However, it was found out that the second incident merited a penalty because the defender brought down the Olympics forward in the penalty box in the full view of the referee. The referee, therefore, made a clear and obvious error in ignoring it.

    The committee also found that Referee Hamid Sessay was generally not at his best for that particular game.

    It was therefore recommended that a four-match ban be placed on referee Sessay for the clear and obvious error. The length of the ban takes into account the fact that this is the first infraction on his part this season.

    Source: ghanafa.org

  • Current referees performing better – Alex Kotey

    A Ghanaian retired FIFA referee has praised current Ghanaian referees for improving their performance in recent times.

    Mr. Alex Neequaye Kotey, gave this appraisal after week 8 of the Ghana premier league.

    He said, “their performance is better now than previously”.

    Mr. Alex Kotey revealed this in an interview with Paul Napoleon Agyeman on Top Sports yesterday February 6, saying “it is so far so good based on their recent performance in the Ghana premier league”.

    Alex Neequaye Kotey who was adjudged the best referee for the year 2006 by the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) appealed for support from the public to aid the referees bring out their best performance during match officiating.

    He was also selected among the referees who officiated Africa Cup of Nation 2008 in Ghana where he officiated the group stage match between Senegal and South Africa. He also officiated three (3) matches in 2010 World Cup qualifiers.

    Source: topfmonline.com