Retired GPL referee Nsor Stephen has shockingly made honest revelation on how some gurus at the FA and other club officials influence the scoreline of some games both in the premier league and the FA Cup.
He also unmasked how he was treated or put on the ‘ice’ after officiating a game Dreams FC lost against Istanbul in Akyem Techiman.
The experienced center-man professed that some gaffers of the referee’s appointment committee were trying to influence the game but they handled it fairly and he was later treated badly in the hands of a certain appointment committee member who claims to be a family member of Kurt Okraku(GFA boss) following Dreams FC’s defeat.
The retired referee bravely disclosed how some Guru’s once directed them to officiate in favor of Hearts of Oak during FA Cup game against Elmina Sharks at the Accra Sports Stadium around 2017.
Following this act and behavior in the game, referee Nsor decided not to continue and retired.
He made this honest revelation to Nimde3 FM in Sunyani.
“I officiated Dreams FC and Istanbul match at Akyem Techiman. In that game, two appointment committee members were trying to show where the win should go. One said Dreams and one also said Istanbul and I were left in the middle. They are all our leaders in terms of officiating. I am telling you the truth. They were referees. They had their interest.
“They were with the teams and am telling you the truth. Some teams can pay for it but a referee who has an interest will demand. It is still going on. At a time, Tamale City came to Berekum Arsenal but the Arsenal’s protested against a certain referee that he’s been officiating only the games of Tamale City always before they changed him. It is still going on. Am telling you.
“In that game, I was talking about, we went all out and fairly officiated it but Dreams FC lost and after that, I was put on ‘ice’ by the one who was expecting us to let Dreams win. He is a family member of Kurt(GFA President) but at that time he wasn’t the FA boss. He put me on ‘ice’ meaning I wasn’t suspended but in his own decision he suspended me, they were not giving me matches. I don’t know his position but maybe when the appointment committee meets he has an interest and will try to make some decisions. I wasn’t charged but…the video is there, we can go for it and show me where I made a mistake but all because I didn’t help Dreams FC to win, I was put on ‘ice’ .” He said.
ON HEARTS OF OAK GAME
“I went for Hearts and Elmina Sharks game some years back. It was an FA Cup game around somewhere in 2017. Before the game, some Gurus at the FA influenced the match(some are still there). They forced us to let Hearts of Oak win so that they can meet Kotoko. Am telling you. Just to let Hearts of Oak win. It was played in Accra. The park was good, the weather too was very conducive for football. The Sharks taught they were going to beat Hearts of Oak, checking at the jama and their moral level. We taught we were going to officiate the game fairly but the thing changed. Am telling you. We handled it according to what they said. You know that the game is not fair. Football is not fair in Ghana.
“I stopped officiating because of that. Officiating is not like playing football. Being a good player some big clubs can come for you but in officiating is not like who is performing but whom you know, your links and your connections will send you far…”
Listen to the audio below;
