Football Administrators should be blamed for assault on referees

Retired referee and Treasurer of the Referees Association of Ghana (RAG), Thomas Nunoo, has called for the prosecution of supporters who attack referees.

He said the banning of teams whose supporters attack referees is not deterrent enough, and until offenders are prosecuted for their crimes, the situation would not end.

He said the situation where referees are assaulted by supporters after football matches are unfortunate and should be stopped.

He was responding to the attack by some irate fans of Division One League side, Mighty Royals on Referee Niatire Suntuo Aziz and his assistants Suleman Mohammed, Yakubu Abdul Rahman as well as the fourth referee Hasim Yakubu.

According to reports, fans of the home side beat up the match officials after the game had ended in a 0-0 draw at the Wamanafo Park in the clash between Mighty Royals and Tano Bofoakwa.

The aggrieved fans besieged the main gate to attack the referees for what the fans perceived to be unfair officiating against their club.

Reacting, Mr. Nunoo said the act was unlawful and the culprits should be fished out and punished severely.

He told Rainbow Radio’s Nhyiraba Kwabena Asirifi that the situation was terrible and life-threatening.

He indicated that some football administrators could also take the blame for such acts because they sometimes influence the supporters to beat referees.

To him, if the administrators give up supporters who assault referees for them to be prosecuted, they would stop.

He said there are reform processes for referees who misconduct themselves to be punished hence it would be improper for anyone to assault them.

The retired referee further bemoaned the inability of the FA to ensure the safety and security of referees despite several assurances given.

He asked the football administrators to assist the Police to identify the culprits of such acts because they know them.