Referees In Crisis, But...
-Acting Boss Demands Calm
Mr. Idrissa Kaba
By Julu M. Johnson, Jr.
The recent suspension of Idrissa Kaba and Jay Exodus Flanjay at the
helm of football referees has created a "things fall part" situation
in the country.
The situation seems to have brought division among football referees
but a veteran referee Daniel Collins Forkpa has admonished his
junior colleagues to remain focused and participate in the ongoing
national league amidst claims that some were threatening to boycott
the event in protest of the suspension of their bosses.
Mr. Forkpa told referees that they should to know that what is
obtaining is not their making and noted that this can be solved with
the Liberia Football Association (LFA) by those involved.
The veteran referee added, "I want them to strive to be referees
that would go to the Olympics, African Cup of Nations and the World
Cup.
"They should remember that the LFA is in charge of football in
Liberia and has control over all its organs and committees."
In the absence of the suspended Kaba, Mr. Forkpa is now the Acting
Chairman of the Referees Standing Committee of the LFA Executive
Committee.
Prior to his suspension, Mr. Kaba happened to be both President of
the Liberia Football Referees Association (LIFRA) and Chairman of
the Referees Standing Committee of the LFA. He was on September 6,
2007 informed about his one-year suspension having being found
guilty of single-handedly selecting female referee Ophelia Doeway
for a CAF course in Tanzania.
“The Liberia Football Association (LFA) presents its compliments and
wishes to have you informed that as a result of the Disciplinary
Committee decision reached on 3rd September, 2007, you are hereby
suspended from all referee and related matters of the LFA and its
affiliates for a period of twelve (12) months as of the date of this
letter.
“The Secretariat, wishes to further inform you that you reserve the
RIGHT to challenge the Committee’s decision to the Board of Appeal.
Meanwhile, please be informed that this edict goes into effect
whether an appeal is instituted or not,” says the letter of
suspension to Mr. Kaba from the LFA General Secretary.
As for Flanjay, he was suspended indefinitely as the Chief Referee
of Liberia. As stated in the letter of suspension, the Deputy
Secretary-General for Administration of the LFA, Jenkins D.N.
Pelenah wrote the Chief Referee in a communication of September 14,
2007. Pelenah stated: “The Secretariat wrote Mr. Idrissa Kaba,
Executive Committee Member and Chairman of Referee Committee,
informing him of his suspension as recommended by the Grievance and
Disciplinary Committee of the LFA.”
Mr. Pelenah informed the suspended Flanjay that the LFA Secretariat
does not have problem with the football referees but rather Mr. Kaba.
“Your September 11, 2007 deadline and the subsequent Press
Conference calling for the boycott of the National League is a
defiant behavior and remains unacceptable,” Pelenah further informed
the Chief Referee.
Quoting the revised FIFA statutes that bear Article 13, paragraph
1(e), the LFA said, “Referees Committees are completely subordinate
to the FA so as to ensure that they (FA) retain direct control over
their own national refereeing affairs.” Thus, the Chief Referee was
told that he too was not independent but subordinate.
As a result of his indefinite suspension, Mr. Flanjay has been
barred from all activities of the Referee Corps with immediate
effect.
During the period of the suspension, the Chief Referee has been
warned to keep away from the Referees office and that he would not
attend the Referees Fitness and Medical Test.
The LFA ordered the Chief Referee to go to the press and withdraw
his boycott call and write a letter committing himself to be a
responsible referee free of all deviant characters and having same
published in all sporting dailies and read on two popular radio
stations.
The LFA indicated that a review of the suspension of the Chief
Referee would be done when the conditions aforementioned are
satisfied.
However, the referee officials have persistently rejected the
decision of the LFA to the extent that the suspended Chief Referee
has threatened to take the matter to world football governing body
FIFA.
Their misfortune came ahead of the 2007 FIFA Physical and Medical
Fitness Test for Referees alias "Cooper Test."
Although both Kaba and Flanjay were in attendance, the Cooper Test
was held at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex without the duo
participating on Sunday, September 23, 2007.
Mr. Forkpa described the Cooper Test as one that took place under
good atmosphere with around 50 male and female referees taking part.
He disclosed that with the death of the Deputy Referee Alphonsus
Nyanti coupled with the suspension of Chief Referee Flanjay, it is
now Joseph Kollie, Secretary-General of LIFRA, who is acting as
Chief Referee.
Notwithstanding, Mr. Forkpa expressed displeasure about the low
number of females serving as referees. For this, he encouraged more
girls to get involved in refereeing. He also wants younger males to
apply to be the likely replacements of the older ones.
He lauded veteran referees such as Benedict Yarsiah, Cllr. Sylvester
D. Rennie, Jacob Jeetoe, S. Weaka Peters, Arthur Y. Wesseh, Sr. and
Mason Goe for gracing the Cooper Test.
Mr. Forkpa made it known that former Chief Referee Benedict Yarsiah
has written to step down as an active referee following his recent
appointment as Deputy Secretary-General for Technical Affairs of the
LFA.
Yet, Mr. Yarsiah was said to have assisted in administering the
Cooper Test as was the case with other senior referees like Goe and
Jeetoe.
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