Chairman of the Referees appointments committee of the Ghana Football Association, Mr. Eddy Doku has kicked against FIFA’s decision to officially ban Ghanaian referee Joseph Lamptey for his involvement in an alleged match fixing scandal.
Referee Lamptey career in match officiating was brought to an abrupt end when FIFA finally decided to ban him indefinitely from taking part in any football related activity for “unlawfully influencing match results” in the 2018 FIFA qualifying match between Senegal and South Africa on November 12 last year.
In the fateful game, the Ghanaian awarded a penalty to the Bafana Bafana for a handball by Kalidou Koulibaly, but TV replays showed that the ball came off the defender’s knees.
Thulani Hlatshwayo converted the resulting penalty, which gave the home side a 43rd minute lead, ending the match 2-1 in favour of South Africa. A result that prompted Senegal to launch an official complain to CAF and FIFA against the immigration officer.
The renowned Ghanaian referee had earlier been lambasted for handling T. P Mazembe’s Champions League match against Dynamos in 2010, which the Glamour Boys lost 0-2, and was also accused of bad officiating while in charge of the Warriors’ 2013 Nations Cup qualifier, first leg tie against Tanzania in Dar es Salaam where he ruled out Tendai Ndoro’s goal as the hosts won 1-0.
The 43 year old was also handed a six-month ban by CAF for allowing a controversial goal in October 2010 in a semi-final CAF Champions League game between Esperance of Tunisia and Al Ahly of Egypt.
The Ghanaian was earlier slapped with a three match ban by CAF but the recent life ban by FIFA has been deemed as needless and an attempt to dent the image of coaches from the continent.
According to Mr. Doku, referees on the continent had been targeted by FIFA over the years so it came to him as no surprise when Joseph Lamptey was used as a scapegoat in an incident that could only warrant a suspension.
”I just read the communique from FIFA and after reading it, I don’t think that I’m happy with the decision of FIFA to hand Joseph Lamptey a life ban, I’m not a lawyer but I know that you cannot punish someone twice for one offence. Doku told Kumasi based radio station, Boss FM.
“He accepted a three-month suspension earlier on by CAF, so why another life ban? Is it because we are blacks? .We have seen worse officiating in some of the European and FIFA competitions, but no referee was given a life ban. I don’t think it’s the best.”
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