We should respect the referees when Zambia play Ghana

This Friday, September 6, Ghana and Zambia will engage in a crucial match to determine which of the two will advance to the final qualification round of the 2014 Brazil World Cup tournament. We are all aware that while our Zambian counterparts, the Chipolopolo, have to beat us to make progress, a drawn scoreline will be enough to see the Black Stars through.
The match therefore promises to be tough, uncompromising and very competitive.

The media has justifiably hiped the match to a feverish level and fans are expected to occupy every available space at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium. There must be match officials, including referees. This match will be handled by a tough, world-class referee in the person of 42-year-old Algerian referee – Haimoudi Djamel.

He currently carries the title of the best referee in Africa, having been awarded that accolade in December last year, right here in Accra, Ghana. Referee Djamel appeared on the FIFA list in 2004 - almost 10 years ago. His first major assignment was here in Accra when he was part of the referees who officiated during the 2008 African Cup of Nations tournament hosted by Ghana.

Three years later, he was again chosen as one of the elite referees on the African continent to handle matches of the FIFA Under-20 World Cup. Last year, referee Djamel was not only one of the referees who handled matches of the African Cup of Nations, but indeed handled the final match between Nigeria and Burkina Faso. Nigeria won that match and currently holds the cup.

And only this year, this Algerian gem of a referee was selected as one of the elite FIFA referees to handle matches of the FIFA Confederations Cup tournament. For his good performances in the tournament, he was given the third place play-off match between Italy and Uruguay. An assignment he creditably carried out.

This is the referee who will be in the middle to manage, control and take the final decisions in our crucial match against Zambia. There is an Ewe proverb which freely translates that “a special food must be prepared in a special pot”. Our match is important and special; therefore, the appointing authorities have appointed a special and first-class referee to handle it.

This should not frighten or worry Coach Kwasi Appiah and his boys. The referee by all standards should be very competent and good. The competing teams are from opposite ends of the continent and the referee is from a different region of Africa. We both speak English, and the referee is of a French origin, although the language he will be speaking during the match will be the whistle and his signals.

Our players are international players in the main. They have been in matches that have been handled by international match officials of the calibre of referee Djamel. All referees have powers and duties. Like other referees, he has the authority of FIFA Laws and Regulations. At 42, he will not do anything to affect his progress and career. He should have his eyes on next year’s World Cup in Brazil, and other tournaments and other important matches.

No referee is a law to himself. The laws are already there and his only duty is to apply and also implement them. Above all, there will be a match commissioner and a referee assessor. But for the 90 minutes or more that the match will be played, the law and decisions that will operate during the game will be in the bosom of the referee.

Remember Justice Atuguba and the other eight Supreme Court judges? Our players know this. The referee’s decision is final. No referee in his proper senses and worth his salt will take a corner-kick for a goal-kick. But if that should happen in our match, the referee’s decision, as backed by the law, is final and must therefore be obeyed.

As already discussed, all referees have authority, and no referee wants his authority to be challenged. The show of dissent and other ways of showing disrespect to the decision of the referee can attract a caution or yellow card. If our players exhibit the needed discipline and professionalism, one does not see how we cannot call the bluff of our Zambian brothers. After all, who are they?

Perhaps, we should also encourage the supporters and fans of the Black Stars to be of good behaviour. Match Commissioners and referees, among their many duties, are tasked to comment on the behaviour and comportment of spectators. Negative behaviours like throwing sachet water and other missiles at match officials and players and, indeed, into the arena and field of play cannot help Ghana to win the match.

The Zambians will be playing as our guests. And we must be very good hosts. We should not provide them with an easy qualification when they lose the match, as they will. The next item on the agenda of losing teams is to seek for excuses to protest. These same Zambians protested against The Sudan and won. We should not give them that chance. We should beat them cleanly on the field of play and show them that this is the Ghana Black Stars.

Finally, we all do hope that the referee and his assistants will be, as usual, received well and looked after appropriately. Now that our own President, Papa Kwesi Nyantakyi, is a big man at CAF, we need not belabour the point. But our players and fans should apply professionalism and discipline before, during and after the match towards all the match officials and even our opponents.

This is going to be one game; but we will surely meet these referees and Zambian players again and again. May the Black Stars shine and shine as usual.

Again, we must, as a duty respect all the match officials and their decisions. If for nothing all, it should be so just for the simple fact that in football the referee’s decision is final. And final means final!

By Godsway Glah/Graphic Sports/Ghana