Accra: President John Dramani Mahama has raised concerns over the refereeing standards in the Ghana Premier League, asserting that poor officiating and perceptions of pre-determined results are significantly impacting the state of domestic football.
According to Ghana Web, during a meeting with representatives from Medeama Sporting Club, Nations FC, and Ampem Darkoa at the Jubilee House in Accra, Mahama expressed that refereeing is a critical issue 'destroying' Ghanaian football. He highlighted that financial arrangements, allegedly made prior to matches, foster a belief that outcomes are pre-decided, thereby diminishing the league's competitiveness.
Mahama emphasized that the Ghana Football Association and the Ghana Referees Association need to collaborate to enhance the quality of officiating and regain the league's competitive nature. He also attributed declining crowd attendance at matches to the belief among supporters that results are predetermined, which discourages them from attending games. Mahama concluded by underscoring the necessity of improving refereeing standards to revitalize both competitiveness and spectator trust in the league.