Ghana FA bans referee Daniel Oteng Appiah for Poor Officiating

The Match Review Panel of the Ghana Football Association has announced decisions taken at its last sitting.

Below are the decisions:

• SEKONDI HASAACAS VS NZEMA KOTOKO

Nzema Kotoko claimed that the Referee ignored infringements on their players in the 25^th, 56^th and 70th minute of the match. They also claimed their officials and fans of Nzema Kotoko were heckled by the home team.

After watching the video, the Committee found that the incidents in the 25^th and the 70^th minutes were not clear fouls that should warrant a call from Referee Daniel Oteng Appiah. However, in the 56^th minute, the Committee found that the goalkeeper Anthony Brebo clearly fouled the Nzema Kotoko attacker (Akesse) in the penalty area and should have attracted a direct free kick and a yellow card (caution) hence a clear penalty was ignored. This happened because the referee was too far from the penalty area.

For the behavior of the officials of the home team (Hasaacas), the Committee agreed that they should be referred to the GFA Disciplinary Committee.

DECISION

In the view of the Match Review Panel, it was a major decision of a penalty that was ignored by Referee Daniel Oteng Appiah; hence he should be banned for the rest of the League season.

• HASAACAS LADIES VRS. THUNDER LADIES (MATCH DAY THREE)

In its complaint to the panel, Thunder Queens stated that Hasaacas Ladies were awarded a penalty to Hasaacas which in their opinion was not a good decision. Also the Women’s Premier League Club also claimed that a player of Thunder Queens committed a red card offence against their player but was given a yellow card caution.

In the view of the Panel, the tackle in the first complaint was deemed to be a fair challenge.  It was also established that a foul was committed within the penalty area on the attacker in the penalty area which is deemed to be a direct free kick hence a penalty. The referee was therefore right in her decision.

On the second complain, there was clearly a push on the number 14 yellow player by the green player number 3. However it was agreed that the challenge on the player cannot be judged as a violent conduct, so the referee was right in showing a yellow card. The Committee stated that referee, Cynthia Anafo did not present herself in a manner that would suggest she was on the day against any side.

DECISION

Consequently, the Match Review Panel is of the view that the referee, Cynthia Anafo was right in her decisions.

• POLICE LADIES VRS. BERRY LADIES (MATCH DAY FOUR)

Police Ladies complained of bad officiating against them. They referred to an infringement against them in the 34^th minute.

After watching the video of the match, the Panel observed that officiating was fair to both the home and away teams. On the 34^th minute of the game nothing clearly of an infringement happened.

DECISION

Consequently, the Match Review Panel is of the view that Police Ladies are blamed the officiating officials unfairly and their complaint should be ignored. The match officials are therefore exonerated.

Source: Ghanafa.org