FA Chairman appalled by standard of officiating

Mr Ben Koufie, Chairman of the Ghana Football Association has expressed his disgust at the standard of officiating in the last two matches of the on going LG Top Four Competition and promised that such inefficient officials would have no place on the Premier League roster in the coming season.

Speaking to GNA Sports in Accra on Tuesday, the FA Chairman said the performance of the two referees has left much to be desired and would require more effort to bring their performance to acceptable standard.

"We are about to enter a new season and such officials would definitely not be allowed to have a field day.

"In fact we would embark on an exercise to screen all referees and match commissioners before the final list of those who would be allowed to officiate matches would be released.

He said the FA would continue to organize refreshers courses for members of the referees association to help them upgrade their knowledge of the game.

"If this does not solve the problem then we have to resort to firm measures including putting some of them on ice and striking out names of under-performing officials out of our books as it happened last year.

"The difference with what happened last year would be that all referees sanctioned would have their names published to serve as a deterrent for others"

He said the GFA has a duty to guarantee that spectators who go to the stadiums get their monies worth by ensuring that the better teams win matches.

Mr Koufie thanked clubs affected by such poor and provocative officiating for their level of comportment that has ensured that nothing nasty happened in any of the matches, which would again bring our game into disrepute.

"It is my hope that they would remember that two wrongs do not make one right and avoid any unfortunate situation". He urged the Police to be more proactive in dealings with rioting supporters.

Mr Koufie said he has noticed that since May 9 2001 stampede which claimed 126 lives and the subsequent arraignment of some officers before law court, Policemen on duty turn blind eyes to incidences that have the potential to cause disturbances.

He pleaded with the Police to continue rendering their services to the country if on duty at the any of the stadiums.

Mr Koufie took the opportunity to informed jubilating supporters that the inner perimeter is a restricted place for only players and selected officials and under no circumstance should any of them enter the place before, during or after matches since this could provoke any vanquished sides.