Referee Back With Disgrace
By Julu M. Johnson, Jr.
Reliable and credible sources revealed that the Liberian FIFA-badge referee Patrick Whity Paye have failed the Physical Fitness Test that should have enabled him officiate in the ongoing African Youth Championship in Congo Brazzaville.
Though Paye (when contacted) has refused to make comments on his hurry return to Monrovia on Tuesday, January 23, 2007, there are strong indications that he failed to pass the test on Saturday, January 20, 2007 in Congo.
Consequently, he was not included among referees and assistant referees named by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for the tournament, as the test is normally the prerequisite for referees and assistant referees named to officiate in major international football events.
The qualified referees are listed below:
African Youth Championship Congo 2007
20 January - 3 February
REFEREES
1. Maurice Dimanche (RCA)
2. Keita Yacouba ( Guinea )
3. Diouf Ousmane ( Senegal )
4. Bennaceur K. (Tunisie)
5. Ould Lemghambodj M. (Mauritanie)
6. Moukoko Jean Michel ( Congo )
7. Mahamet Saleh A.(Tchad)
8. Kotey Alex ( Ghana )

ASSISTANT REFEREES
1. Bouende Malonga ( Congo )
2. Longa Longa (RDC)
3. Malebo Toko (RSA)
4. Damoo Jason ( Seychelles )
5. Abdi Soud ( Tanzania )
6. Bambyo Patrick ( Gabon )
7. Tinni Tondo H. ( Niger )
8. Tesfagiorghais O.B ( Eritrea )
Following their meeting on Tuesday, attended by LFA President S. Izetta Wesley, top officials of the Referees Standing Committee of the Liberia Football Association (LFA) revealed that Paye was immediately sent back because he failed the fitness test.
The news that Paye has faltered in the fitness test seems not to be a surprise to most of his colleagues in the refereeing arena.
At the Referees Test held last year at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in Paynesville, Paye was among other referees including Joseph Kollie Ebenezer Stanley and Jallah Korman that boycotted the process for varying reasons.
It was thereafter suggested that Paye and his fellow boycotters be placed on a provisional list.
However, Paye and his colleagues succeeded with the aid of the Referees President and Committee Chairman, Idrissa Kaba in being selected for the 2007 FIFA list without taking and passing the fitness test.
Paye and pals are said to have been rewarded for betraying Atty. Sylvester Rennie and supporting Mr. Kaba during the referees elections on February 18, 2006.
Mr. Kaba was accused by his colleagues on the Referees Standing Committee of single-handedly naming his cronies on the 2007 FIFA list without their input, probable reasons that led to the selection of Paye and others that boycotted as well as those that were said to have failed the fitness test, such as the Deputy Chief Referee Alphonso Nyanti (the only one that has made refereeing his livelihood).
Paye’s selection was influenced by Mr. Kaba, who pleaded with the LFA Executive Committee to allow all referees that failed and boycotted to be included.
He promised the LFA executives that another fitness test would be administered, although others opposed the idea.
The failure of Paye in Congo and his immediate return clearly shows that physical fitness is 75 percent of refereeing around the world and this appears to send a clear signal to the LFA and referees that Mr. Kaba should not deceive them by saying that a referee does not have to be fit to be recommended for the FIFA list, as he told the LFA Executive Committee before submitting referees to FIFA, in that the disgrace created by Paye has impacted on the country.
The four other committee members, Sylvester Rennie, Daniel C. Forkpa, S. Weaka Peters and Arthur Y. Wesseh, have probably won commendations for being very frank by suggesting that boycotters and failures should either be dropped or placed on provisional list.
It is viewed that Paye would not have placed the country in such predicament had he taken part in the last two fitness test.
Other referees have been admonished to train harder because the LFA Executive Committee may not be in the position to favor them as a result of Paye’s dismal performance in Congo .
The failure by Paye has posed a setback to Mr. Kaba’s election vow last year that even if his supporters did not pass the fitness test, he would make them to pass.