Referees assault: Use common sense, RAG Chairman to referees in Ghana
Referees in Ghana have been the news for some years now for various reasons, both positive and negative but it looks as though the negatives seem to outweigh the positives.
The Match Review Panel of the Ghana Football Association have recently banned some referees for the rest of the season for errors in the course of duty. The same referees are also at the center stage of fans brutalities. Which pillar can the referees lean on?
The National Chairman of the Referees Association of Ghana, Joe Debrah (RTD) has urdge referees to use common sense when they get to a venue where their safety is not guaranteed.
On Sunday, March 28, 2021 at the Womanafo Town Park, some supporters of the home team attacked referees Niatire Suntuo Aziz, Suleman Mohammed, Yakubu Abdul Rahman and the 4th referee Hasim Yakubu who was brutality assaulted after their 0-0 draw against Tano Bofoakwa.
The Chairman stated that “I have spoken to all the referees last night and have advised them accordingly. “I have asked them to use their common sense in all their doings. Whenever security at match venues are inadequate, they must boycott the match and not gamble with their lives”.
He again indicated that “These referees were held hostage on the pitch after the first half, they should have boycotted the game at that instance”.
“I have been in constant talk with the GFA President whom I’ve sent all the videos and photos and we expect them to act accordingly. He added
“We will not take any decision hastily but we are waiting for the action the GFA will take before we proceed with anything.”
Ghana Football Association has on Monday banned the use of Womanafo Town Park for matches with immediate effect. It is still not clear the punishment the Disciplinary Committee of the FA will prescribe.