3,276 total views,  3 views today

By Amaechi Agbo

Africa’s football ruling body, CAF has noted with shock the unacceptable news of the assault of match officials in Ghana during a First Division match between Might Royals and Tano Bofoakwa in Wamafo a few days ago and have called for investigation.

CAF General Secretary, Veron Mosengo-Omba strongly condemned the assault on the match officials and called for a full investigation on the matter.

“The image and integrity of football in Africa is very important. Part of this is the complete respect of match officials and the role they play in our football. It is important that match officials feel they are completely protected and are free to apply the FIFA Laws of the Game without fear or prejudice. The reports coming from Ghana where match official were assaulted are completely unacceptable. This behaviour has no place in our football and cannot be tolerated. CAF wishes the match officials a speedy recovery,” Mosengo-Omba said.

“CAF is liaising with the Ghana Football Association to get a full report on what transpired on the way forward.

“CAF is treating this matter with the seriousness and urgency it deserves.

“CAF has appealed to all Member Associations to ensure that CAF Safety and Security Regulations are fully implemented in all matches,” CAF concluded in a release Tuesday

Match officials officiating a Ghanaian Division One league match were beaten severely by fans which resulted in the referee losing all his teeth.

The match between Mighty Royals and Tano Bofoakwa which came came on March 28, 2021 at the Wamanafo Park in Dormaa in the Bono Region of Ghana took a drastic yet unpalatable turn when angry fans descended on match officials over poor officiating.

The match which abruptly ended in a goalless draw saw Refree Naitre Suntuo Aziz receive the lion share of the beatings from the crowd.

According to the video foottage, the fans were heared vowing to beat the match officials to death after the pitch was invaded and the match officials assaulted.

It took the intervention of the overpowered police and security officials to rescue these poor powerless macth officials from the claws of these hungry fans. They were escorted into their cubicle after sustaining varying degrees of physical abuse and injuries.

While the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has earlier ordered for fans not to be present at the stadiums and match centres due to the coming into force of the COVID-induced restrictions, the fans still found their way to the park and this barbaric incident gives meaning to how low Ghana’s football has sunk and how volatile our national security has become.

The match officials for the game who were attacked are:

Referee: Niatre Suntuo Aziz

Assist Ref: Sumleman Mohammed & Yakubu Abdul

4th Ref: Hasim Yakubu

Match Commissioner: Pius Kwarteng

Venue Media Officer: Thomas Opoku

GFA Chairman: Afriyie Akuffo King.