The chairman of the Referees Association of Ghana (RAG), Joe Debrah has set the record straight with regards to the controversies surrounding Ghanaian FIFA referee Nathan Anafo.
It would be recalled that referee Nathan Anafo was in 2017 caught on camera being compromised allegedly in the biggest football exposé in the country by ace investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas.
Nathan Anafo has become a talking point on all roundtable discussions, and Mr. Debrah admits the former’s matter is ‘dicey’.
Speaking in an exclusive interview on Accra-based Angel FM hosted by Saddick Adams criticized the listing of referee Nathan Anafo as part of officials awaiting the much anticipated Ghana Premier League.
“The issue involving Nathan Anafo is a very dicey case. I was told his name is in the list of officials going for the cooper test. According to the referees manager at GFA, FIFA has exonerated him. During the NC special competition, he showed up at Sogakope for training but he was sacked,” he pointed out.
The chairperson of RAG therefore stated that even though authorities of the Ghana Football Association and the world football governing body FIFA vindicated him, the association is setting a bad example since the perpetrator himself has admitted his guilt.
“Nathan Anafo was in the Anas expose and the referee himself accepted that he was guilty. All I will say is we are setting a bad precedent,” Joe Debrah asserted.
He however, revealed that leaders of RAG will meet on Thursday, October 15, 2020 to settle the matter.
For his part, Referees manager for the GFA Mr. Alex Kortey, clarifies on the same programme as to why Nathan Anafo has been invited for the fitness test.
According to Mr Kortey, FIFA and CAF temporary suspended officials who appeared in the Anas Expose. After investigations, some referees were suspended while others including Nathan Anafo were exonerated. In effect reinstating Mr. Anafo is the right thing as he has already been cleared by football governing body FIFA. Inviting him to
An official release on the GFA website admits that, Referee Nathan Anafo has been included in the List of Referees set to undergo the fitness tests after being exonerated by FIFA Disciplinary Committee from allegations captured in the Anas exposé video”.
FIFA, Premier, DOL and Women’s League Referees and Referee Assistants in the Northern sector and Southern sector will commence their fitness test fitness test from October 16-18 at the Aliu Mahama Stadium in Tamale and October 23-25 at the Cape Coast Stadium respectively.
