Chairman of the Organizating Committee for the NC special competition Samuel Osei Kuffour has jumped to the defence of the referees over certain decisions they took in the opening matches over the weekend, saying they are “humans and there to make mistakes”.
The return of active football after the famous Number 12 Expose by Tiger Eye PI has been the utmost expectation of every Ghanaian football fan, but officiating officials are under meticulous scrutiny as they handle matches in the ongoing Normalization Committee (NC) special competition.
Over 70 referees were caught on camera taking bribes from undercover journalists from Tiger Eye PI with a calculated motive to influence the outcome of football matches from the domestic and continental competitions, an act which led to suspension of the culprits and eventual suspension of the then ongoing Zylofon Cash Premier league and the MTN FA Cup. This has inevitably brought the confidence in the local referees into disrepute and Ghanaians are watching the ongoing NC special competition with eagle eyes regarding the nature of officiating, and supporters and coaches of some clubs at the various match venues over the weekend have raised displeasure over the standard of officiating being exhibited.
However, Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the competition Samuel Osei Kuffour has pleaded with stakeholders of the game to cope with and tolerate the considerable fallibility of the referees, pointing to the human nature attached to their work.
“Once we’ve started football (again) it’s good for all of us and don’t get me wrong, we would have to pick up from somewhere, because how many referees (during the) Anas (Tiger Eye PI documentary) were suspended, almost 88 referees”, Kuffour told FOX FM.
According to Kuffour, it will take time for the Referees Association of Ghana (RAG) to train entirely new and quality referees to impeccably handle matches, calling for patience and mild criticisms.
“For the referees association to train some new ones it will take time, and don’t get me wrong, they are humans and they are there to make mistakes but we shouldn’t ‘stand on’ (sic) their mistakes to kill them, we should encourage them”, Kuffour pleaded.
As if you need to be reminded, Aduana Stars had a goal ruled out for a contentious offside against Asante Kotoko at the Baba Yara sports stadium on Sunday which drew hot tempered comments from Aduana Stars coach W. O. Tandoh, who described the referee’s performance as “shameful”.
