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Tag: referee

  • EPL’s  first Black referee Rennie dies at  65

    EPL’s  first Black referee Rennie dies at  65

    Uriah Rennie, the first Black referee in the Premier League, has died aged 65,  according to the Sheffield and Hallamshire County Football Association .

    Jamaican-born Rennie, who grew up in Sheffield, made history in 1997 when he refereed a Premier League match between Derby County and Wimbledon. He went on to officiate in over 300 games – including 175 in England’s top flight.

    Read Also: Man City sign Wolves defender Ait-Nouri for £31m

    “As the first Black referee in the Premier League, Uriah was a pioneering trailblazer whose legacy will live on, continuing to inspire future generations,” the Premier League said in a statement on Monday.

    Rennie retired in 2008 and 15 years passed before another Black official took charge of a Premier League game, Sam Allison refereeing Sheffield United against Luton Town in 2023.

    In April, Rennie told the BBC he was learning to walk again after being left paralysed from the waist down by a rare condition.

    “Incredibly sad to hear of the passing of referee Uriah Rennie. A pioneer, trailblazer and a bloody good ref,” former England and Liverpool striker Stan Collymore wrote on social media.

  • Turkish football on hold after club president punches referee

    Turkish football on hold after club president punches referee

    Turkish football bosses suspended all leagues after a referee was punched to the ground by a club president following a top-flight game on Monday.

    Halil Umut Meler was struck by MKE Ankaragucu president Faruk Koca, who ran on to the pitch after his team conceded a 97th-minute equaliser in a 1-1 Super Lig draw with Caykur Rizespor.

    “The matches in all leagues have been postponed indefinitely,” Turkish FA [TFF] chairman Mehmet Buyukeksi told a news conference.

    “This attack is a night of shame for Turkish football,” he added.

    Fifa president Gianni Infantino called the incident “totally unacceptable” and said that violence has “no place in our sport or society”.

    “Without match officials there is no football,” he said. “Referees, players, fans and staff have to be safe and secure to enjoy the game, and I call on the relevant authorities to ensure that this is strictly implemented and respected at all levels.”

    Meler received several blows from others as he lay on the turf and suffered injuries including a minor fracture.

    The incident sparked chaotic scenes involving players and club officials.

    Koca required treatment in hospital but “detention procedures will be carried out after the treatment”, said Turkey’s minister of internal affairs, Ali Yerlikaya.

    Read Also: Four things to know about Video Assistant Referee (VAR)

    Yerlikaya added others had been arrested for their part in the incident, which he “strongly condemned”.

    Meler, 37, is one of Turkey’s top referees and officiates international games for Fifa. He is also on Uefa’s elite referee list.

    He also required hospital treatment and the chief physician of the hospital where he was treated, Dr Mehmet Yorubulut, said: “There is no life threat for the moment. He only has bleeding around his left eye and a small fracture.

    “We will [monitor] our referee until the morning due to head trauma. We will discharge him from hospital after the necessary examinations in the morning.”

  • Suspects plead not guilty to referee attack charge

    The two persons who were arrested on Thursday in connection with the attack of centre referee, Sam Agba during the Plateau United and IfeanyiUbah match of the Nigeria Professional Football League, played at the new Jos stadium on January 13, have been charged to court.

    The two accused who were alleged to have attacked the centre referee have been identified as Lawal Adamu and Auwalu Abdullahi were arraigned before the Upper Area Court 3, kasuwan Nama in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.

    Appearing before the judge, Muhammad Yahaya, the two suspects pleaded not guilty to the charges read before them.

    This development prompted the prosecuting police officer, inspector Gokwat Ibrahim to apply for an adjournment to enable him to establish a case against the accused persons.

    At this juncture, the accused persons asked for bail with a pledge to be in court whenever they are needed.

    Ruling on the matter, the judge, Muhammed Yahaya granted their request for the bail in the sum of 50 thousand naira each or a surety in a like sum.

    Yahaya said the two accused must sign an undertaking of good behaviour while adhering to the bail conditions.

    The judge then adjourned the matter to the 27th of February for the continuation of the case. It will be recalled that irate fans attacked centre referee, Sam Agba after the Nigeria Professional Football League matchday one between Plateau United and Ifeanyi Uba ended goalless on the 13th of January.

  • World Cup: ref gets life ban for bribery

    A Kenyan referee who had been due to officiate at the ongoing World Cup in Russia has been handed a life ban after being caught in a bribery sting.

    Aden Marwa was filmed receiving a 600-dollar bribe during Confederation of African Football (CAF) assignment in Ghana.

    He is one of 22 referees sanctioned by the CAF in an unprecedented clean up, announced at the weekend.

    Marwa, who was a reserve at the 2014 finals in Brazil, had earlier been removed from the list of match officials due to officiate in Russia.

    The life ban was handed out by CAF’s disciplinary board, which also banned 10 other referees for between two years and 10 years for similar offences.

    A further 11 persons have been suspended pending an appearance at the board in August.

    African football has long been plagued by allegations of bribery but never before has CAF banned such a large number of officials.

  • Six Days to Russia: FIFA under attack over bribery scandal

    Football governing body, FIFA has come under attack since Kenya referee Adel Range Marwa was exposed in a bribery scandal captured in a video which surfaced online on Thursday.

    The Kenyan referee who has since resigned from the World Cup referees committee was captured on camera receiving a $600 cash gift which is against FIFA ethics.
    The money was for Marwa to influence the outcome of an international football match involving Ghana in the 2018 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN).
    An undercover journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas exposed Marwa, along with Ghana FA President Kwesi Nyantakyi whom FIFA has suspended for 90 days.
    The video has continued to elicit reactions with some saying it was a conspiracy against African referees on FIFA duty. Others said it was a shame
    “Why did the investigating journalist do this to our Aden Marwa? It doesn’t add up at all, so Fifa decided to set up Aden and eliminate him from World Cup and get at African officials.
    “Fifa would have tested all the referees then released an official report not just targeting one Black Referee. SO SAD,” Dennis Nyambane said on Twitter.
    “Sad that Kenyan Fifa referee Aden Marwa has had to pull out of the 2018 World Cup in Russia. I have reviewed Anas’s footage (Ghanaian undercover reporter) of the alleged bribe taking and I honestly think as journo, the method used by him to news gather leaves a lot to be desired,” journalist Odeo Sirari on Twitter.
    “Aden Marwa has not brought shame to Kenya, the shame was already there, he just lifted the veil and took it global. We can keep dreaming of a corrupt free Kenya or we need to look inside ourselves and awaken. “Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.” – Carl Jung,” said Sam Gichuru on Twitter.
    “Aden Marwa, first Kenyan to have been appointed by Fifa as an assistant referee for the World Cup 2018 has been removed after accepting a paltry us$600 (Kshs. 60,000/=) bribe from Anas Aremeyaw Anas, Ghana’s fabled incognito Investigative Journalist … What a shame. What a tragedy,” A Lawyer Donald B Kipkorir said on Twitter.
    “Corruption is everywhere in Kenya this referees don’t live in heaven they live in a corrupt society,” Clarke Sumbule on Facebook.
    Six African referees were chosen by FIFA to officiate in Russia. The referees make the total of 99 officials selected from 46 countries.
    The African referees are: Mehdi Abid Charef from Algeria, Malang Diedhiou of Senegal, Bakary Papa Gassama from The Gambia, Gehad Grisha from Egypt, Janny Sikazwe from Zambia, and Ethiopian Bamlak Tessema Weyesa.

  • Disgraced World Cup bound referee in $600 bribe scandal

    Fresh stain on the credibility of African referees in Russia has emerged with six days to the commencement of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

    The fresh concern emerged as a $600 bribe scandal involving Kenya’s Adel Range Marwa was uncovered.

    A report surfaced on Thursday that the World Cup-bound referee and a member of the FIFA Council received a $600 cash gift against FIFA ethics.

    Marwa who has since been relieved from his assigned duty at the mundial by FIFA allegedly received the sum in cash from an undercover journalist; Anas Aremayaw Anas.

    Ghana’s Fifa Council member Kwesi Nyantakyi, the second most powerful man in African football, was also caught up in a separate sting operation in the report.

    Since aired on BBC the Anas Aremayaw Anas’ report which has raised wide dust on the caliber of referees from Africa for the World Cup.

    NationSport can report that FIFA has chosen six African officials for the Russia mundial and in addition there will also be 10 assistant referees from Africa.

    The referees and the assistants make up a total of 99 officials selected for the tournament and are selected from 46 countries with Nigeria excluded.

    The African referees are: Mehdi Abid Charef from Algeria, Malang Diedhiou of Senegal, Bakary Papa Gassama from The Gambia, Gehad Grisha from Egypt, Janny Sikazwe from Zambia, and Ethiopian Bamlak Tessema Weyesa.

  • Malawi football match ends with referee killing player

    A referee is facing murder charges after football players forced him to kill a member of an opposing team in southern Malawi, police has said.

    The referee was overseeing a football match between two local teams – Billiat FC and Chilengo FC, in the town of Thyolo on Wednesday, when Chilengo FC players refused to accept the referee’s decision to invalidate a goal, district police spokesman Benjamin Foster said.

    In the ensuing scuffle, the referee fled to a nearby house, which the players lit on fire to smoke him out, according to Foster. When the referee ran out of the burning building, the players forced him to beat a Billiat FC player with a stick, the spokesman said.

    The player later died of his injuries in hospital, added Foster. “The referee turned himself over … He is facing murder charges,” he said.

  • Remo 2 vs 1 Wikki Tourists: Ganaru, journalist, referee attacked in Shagamu

    Remo 2 vs 1 Wikki Tourists: Ganaru, journalist, referee attacked in Shagamu

    All hell was let loose at the Shagamu Stadium on Sunday during Remo Stars 2-1 win over Wikki Tourists in the match day 15 of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) as the visitors’ head coach Mohammed Baba Ganaru, centre referee and sports journalist, Kelvin Ekerete were attacked by the home fans.

    The home team got the first goal through Victor Chinedu before Jonathan Richard scored the equaliser for the Big Elephants.

    The Sky Blues scored the second goal in a controversial circumstances via penalty. The penalty call was protested by the Wikki Tourists players but at the end the day the penalty was awarded and scored by Victor Mbaoma.

    However, a sport journalist, Kelvin Ekerete was also rough-handled by the fans and his mobile phone was snatched. He was left with bloody nose.

    Kelvin’s undoing was his audacity to film the harassment on the match officials and the visitors.

    In a telephone conversation with SportingLife, Ganaru said the referee lost control of the match after he was attacked and intimidated which pressured him to award a dubious penalty to apiece the angry home fans.

    “We lost the match through a dubious penalty. The officiating was very bad. There was intimidation and the atmosphere was very bad. The fans attacked me and the centre referee when we were going to the dressing room at half time. Our chairman was harassed and our cameraman was also attacked. And to my surprise the referee gave a very dubious penalty to Remo Stars,” Ganaru told SportingLife.

  • Rivers Utd hail referee Ishiaku

    General Coordinator, Rivers United Football Club of Port Harcourt, Bashir Badawiy, has praised the match officials that handled their away match against Elkanemi Warriors FC of Maiduguri, describing it as one of the best officiating his team has gotten this season.

    Bash as he is fondly called, singled out Ishiaku Ibrahim a.k.a Collina as one of the best referees in the elite league and stated if the Kogi State born referee can keep the momentum he will go places handling the whistle.

    “He (Ishiaku Ibrahim) really comported himself and the other officials, we are not used to complaining about referees but, we have to thumb up Ishiaku Ibrahim for his firm control of the match. We need more of this fair and unbiased officiating so that our league can move to the next level.”

    “I am an apostle of good football and fair officiating, Elkanemi are a good side and they really deserve to walk away with the win, the match officials did well, its just that we lost most of our scoring chances, we have forgotten about the match and are looking ahead of our next match. We lost not because of biased officiating but, because we were unable to take our chances,” Bash said.

  • Egypt’s coach blasts referee

    Egypt’s coach blasts referee

    In the wake of their hard fought 2-2 draw against Nigeria on Wednesday in the U-23 Africa Cup of Nations tournament, Egypt coach Hossam E-Badry has lashed out at the Cameroonian referee, Antoine Essouma.

    Although it was 2-0 at the interval in favour of the Nigerians, the Pharaohs came back to salvage a point but the coach is quoted by KingFut saying bad refereeing let them down.

    “We went through a healing process after the game and we are now concentrating on our final group game against Mali which is very critical to our position in the group,” said the coach.

    “The scenario we faced in this game was a very weird one because of the poor decisions from the referee. We want fair judgement. We were always in praise of the African referees and then these things happen and they take us back to step one again.”

    El-Badry has 18 international caps for the Pharaohs and played in the Olympic games Qualifier in Moscow in 1980, he also pointed out that the players lacked concentration and were hasty with their opportunities due to the scenario of the game.

    However, he praised his charges for their efforts in their comeback to frustrate the Samson Siasia’s side.

    In their opening tie, Egypt drew 1-1 against rivals, Algeria and now occupy the third spot with two points from two games.

    They will now meet Mali who are already out of the tournament having lost their two opening games and for them to qualify for the semifinals, Egypt must grab a win and boost their hopes of reaching Brazil for the Olympics next year.