Asante Kotoko vs King Faisal offside controversy: Centre referee Julian Nunoo’s ban REVERSED

The referee who officiated the Ghana Premier League matchweek six fixture of the in-progress 2021/2022 season between Asante Kotoko and King Faisal, Julian Nunoo has been exonerated of any wrong doing following his affirmation of an offside decision made by his assistant referee two in the said game.

The game, played on December 5, 2021 at the Kumasi Baba Yara sports stadium, ended in a shocking 3-2 defeat for Asante Kotoko who had prior to that game, gone five matches without defeat. King Faisal’s Ibrahim Zuberu bagged a hat-trick on the day to break the hearts of the numerous Asante Kotoko fans who were in attendance.

In the course of the game, Asante Kotoko’s number 9 shirt, George Mfegue made a move to perform his prerogative duty of scoring, but his effort wouldn’t count after assistant referee 2, Roland Addy, flagged for offside. The decision was then upheld by the centre referee Julian Nunoo, who was distant away from seeing the right positioning of the Cameroonian striker at the time of the kick of the ball.

Following an official complaint lodged at the GFA by Asante Kotoko and a subsequent review of the match footage by the GFA’s Match Review Panel, the Panel ruled that both the centre referee and his assistant erred in their decision to rule for an offside in the said situation, and ruled that both Nunoo and Addy had been “given a four (4) match day ban“.

“Per the video watched the Panel observed that Asante Kotoko player No. 9 who was flagged offside was really not in an offside position at the time of the kick of the ball. The Assistant 2 Referee, Roland Addy’s positioning was problematic which made him take a wrong decision in ruling the player offside. Both the referee and the assistant erred in the 11th-minute decision,” the Review Panel said in a statement.

“The Referee Julian Nunoo is therefore given a four (4) match day ban effective the date of communication for the clear error committed in the 11^th minute of the game. Assistant 2 (Referee Roland Addy) is also suspended for four (4) match days effective on the date of communication”, the statement added.

Unsatisfied by the decision of the Match Review Panel, centre referee Julian Nunoo filed an appeal at the Appeals Committee of the GFA against the ruling of the Review Panel and has been vindicated.

The Appeals Committee ruled, “We have reviewed the documents relied upon by the Panel, including a video footage of the incident subject matter of the decision. We note from the footage that the off-side decision was made by the Appellant when his Assistant who was ahead of him and in line with the players, raised his flag, signalling off-side”.

“The video footage clearly shows that the Referee could not have overruled the Assistant Referee and therefore he cannot be faulted for making the offside decision. In the circumstances, we allow the appeal and set aside the decision of the Match Review Panel”.

The GFA has, by order, been asked to refund to referee Julian Nunoo any expenses he incurred in filing the appeal.

Find below a letter of the ruling by the Appeals Committee as published by the GFA: