Who is in charge of referees at GFA?

For so many good reasons, Ghanaian referees should have no problem or difficulties with and at the GFA. Almost one after another, and over a period, the football authorities have granted the demands of the referees.

During the period of Mr Ben Kwoffie as the GFA Chairman, a request from the Referees Association that the GFA establish a Referees Committee, whose members should be personnel with refereeing background, was granted and since then, the status quo has not changed.

This is in conformity with FIFA regulations served on all its federations. After this, the Referees Association somehow succeeded in getting one of its members, Leanier Addy on the influential Executive Committee of the GFA. Although she officially represents the Constituent Bodies which include the Referees Association, her membership is a plus for refereeing.

Additionally, referees asked for and got established a Referees Desk as part of the GFA’s administrative structure. Mr Kwesi Nyantekyi’s GFA can only be commended not for exactly yielding to persistent demands from the referees, but for actually doing the right thing.

Refereeing is regarded by football experts as the fourth estate of the structure of football, the others being coaching, medicine and administration.

It is, therefore, hoped that with this representation, the administration and handling of issues and problems that affect referees would be smoothly and competently run. But this does not appear to be the case.

The old rivalry, sabotage, favouritism and devisive tendencies and partiality that used to affect the running of the affairs of the Referees Association and its members are being resurrected. And this, if not quickly addressed, would once again bring serious divisions and bitterness into the refereeing fraternity. I can mention the following three different issues.

1. Potential FIFA referees

In September this year, CAF on behalf of FIFA organised a course in Tanzania for selected Promising Non-FIFA Referees who could become FIFA referees in a year or two. A Ghanaian referee who won the Promising Referee Award for this year’s FA Cup competition was selected by the Referees committee to attend.

His nomination was accepted and he was to fly by Kenya Airways but the information on his invitation which came to our Referees Desk to collect his ticket was not communicated to him. Luckily for Ghana and the young referee, a copy of the e-mail was sent to a member of the Referees Committee.

But when he checked with the invited referee if he had received any information, he drew a blank. The Referees Committee member had to rush to the GFA, indeed to the Referees Desk, before the mail was checked. And thus, the young man, in the refereeing spirit had to quickly prepare and check on the ticket which was lying at the Kenya Airways offices. 

He had to fly to Tanzania, within one and half days to attend this all-important course. He went on September 24 and retuned on October 1, this year and this was the second time that the referee’s name had been submitted. Nobody knows what happened to the first invitation. Perhaps he was invited and nobody told him because he is not one of some-one’s kind or favourite.

2. Course for elite Premier League referees

In September this year, while both the chairman of the referees committee and his deputy were on official assignments in Congo, a list of three referees were sent for the above referees course. This list was reported to have even included a referee on the Division One League list and clearly not qualified to attend such a high level course.

3. Technical instructors’ course

Earlier this year, Ghana, as a country, missed a training course for one physical fitness training instructor and one technical instructor in Cairo simply because both the Referees Committee and the Referees Desk submitted two separate lists to CAF, the organisers.

While the Referees Committee submitted the names of Richard Attifu and Charles Dowuna, the Referees Desk submitted the names of Thomas Nunoo and Innocentia Agbavitor. The result was that because CAF was looking for the names of two instructors and Ghana was submitting four, Ghana lost out and nobody attended.

Clearly, these are not good reports about the management, administration and development of refereeing in the country. There are many stories of who is who in the management of referees. The duties and functions of both the Referees Committee and the Referees Desk are well covered under the GFA Regulations.

In general terms, some of these functions and duties appear to overlap, especially in the thinking and mind of the over-zealous and opportunistic person.

Indeed, there currently appears to be no difference between the two. Both have virtually merged into one body when it comes to selection, especially appointments of referees. In the past, it was enough for the five-member Referees Committee to work alone and well.

But what is clear is that the authorities should not allow things to continue this way. The old unproductive rivalry and divisive tendencies that divided the Referees Association in the near past are rearing their ugly heads again.

The GFA must come out with a clear-cut directive on how referees are selected to the referees lists, how referees (both active and retired), should be selected to attend courses and by whom.

At the moment, most members of the Referees committee,  are not happy with how the Referees Desk has been merged with the Committee both in function and, especially, in meetings.

It appears the GFA is learning too much on one side of the referee divide. If light and darkness cannot co-exist, definitely the committee and the desk cannot productively sit together.

The Referees Committee has always been headed by a member of the Executive Committee of the GFA. This arrangement should be enough to leave it free to the control or otherwise by a desk officer.