The Ghana Football Association has confirmed a lifetime ban for promising referee Reginald Lathbridge following his grievous error in the Premier League last season.
The referee’s error in his match report for a game between Bechem United and Elmina Sharks led to a legal battle which caused delays to the start of the 2017/18 season.
A statement on the official website of the GFA Tuesday reads:
The GFA Disciplinary Committee has taken the following decision at its sitting: Referee Reginald Lathbridge banned for life.
This Disciplinary Committee has decided to ban Referee Reginald Lathbridge is for life from taking part from all football related activities (administrative, sports and any other) at national and international levels having been found guilty of the charges brought against him by the GFA Prosecutor.
Referee Reginald Lathbridge at his hearing at the Disciplinary Committee apologized to all stakeholders of the game and admitted the charge of failing to submit a complete and accurate Match Report to the GFA in the Matchday 7 of the 2016/2017 Ghana Premier League match played between Bechem United FC and Elmina Sharks FC at Bechem thereby bringing the game into disrepute.
Referee Reginald Lathbridge’s actions are held to have been in violation of Articles 22 and 35(7)(d) in the GFA General Regulations and other regulations in respect of this matter.
The Disciplinary Committee states that the importance of the Match Official’s Reports in football cannot be overemphasised in view of Article 85 of the GFA Disciplinary Code which presumes that the Referee’s Report is accurate and considered authoritative regarding matters on incidents that take place on the field of play and the far-reaching consequences any inaccuracy may lead to.
Full written Decision of the Disciplinary Committee to be delivered to parties.
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