The Ghana Referees Association has decided to suspend their services at four Division One League centers following recent assault cases on match officials.
In the past one month, crowd violence and assault on match officials have been on the high in the Division One League.
This therefore has necessitated the decision of the Ghana Referees Association to suspend their services at 4 match venues with immediate effect.
According to the association the Nkawkaw Park, home ground for Okwawu Utd F, Kwahu Praso Park home ground for King Solomon, Bibiani Town Park home ground for Gold Stars and Akyem Techiman Park home ground for Istanbul are the venues no referee will be deployed to officiate matches.
Below is the full statement from the Ghana Referees Association
BRUTAL ASSAULT OF MATCH OFFICIALS
The RAG has learnt with dismay,the brutal assault of Referees and Assistant Referees at some league centers,especially Division One of late.
The Association has waited patiently for sometime now with the view that the situation will be brought under control.However it seems its getting worse every passing week.
As much as the RAG is willing to co-operate with the GFA to have a successful league season,it has become clear that we are doing that at the expense of the lives of our referees.
The National Executives of RAG therefore at an Emergency Meeting held on Saturday 28th May,2016 at the Accra Sports Stadium resolved as follows;
That with immediate effect,no Referee SHALL officiate any football match at the under-listed league centers which we have identified as unsafe for Match Officials due to frequent attacks of
Match Officials until further notice.
1.Nkawkaw Park home ground for Okwawu Utd F/C
2.Kwahu Praso Park home ground for King Solomon F/C
3.Bibiani Town Park home ground for Gold Stars F/C
4.Akyem Techiman Park home ground for Istanbul F/C
We are also sounding a word of caution to Ebusua Dwarfs to be of good behavior and change their hostile attitude towards match officials at the Cape Coast Stadium which has become rampant of late.
The RAG also wishes to caution all League Referees to take football matches serious since it is putting measures in place to monitor the performance of all referees.Any Referee or Assistant Referee who will be found wanting will be sanctioned.
Yours faithfully
JayitAMensah
JOSEPH AYITA MENSAH
GENERAL SECRETARY