Ghana Football Association Referees Appointment Committee chairman Eddy Doku is livid at referee Joseph Lamptey’s life ban by Fifa for match manipulation.
Lamptey has been indefinitely suspended from taking part in any kind of football-related activity at national and international level for “unlawfully influencing the match result” during the 2018 Fifa World Cup qualifier between South Africa and Senegal on November 12 last year.
The Ghanaian was earlier slapped with a three-month ban by Caf for the incident at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane.
”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,” Doku told Boss FM.
”I’m not a lawyer but I know that you cannot punish someone twice for one offence.
“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.”
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, the match eventually ending 2-1 in favour of South Africa.
Senegal subsequently lodged an official complaint to Caf and Fifa against the immigration officer.
In 2011, Lamptey was handed a six-month ban by Caf for allowing a controversial goal in a Caf Champions League game between Esperance of Tunisia and Al Ahly of Egypt.
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