Former GHALCA president, Kudjoe Fianoo, has raised concerns over the deteriorating standards of officiating in the Ghana Premier League (GPL), citing financial struggles and susceptibility to corruption as key factors. Speaking to Citi Sports, Fianoo lamented that referees are often left unpaid for weeks, making them vulnerable to external influences. He argued that while poor officiating remains a long-standing issue, referees themselves are not entirely to blame.

“Officiating has been on the decline, but you can’t solely blame the referees. They go out to officiate matches and sometimes have to wait weeks to receive a meager payment. This system exposes them to corruption and other vices,” Fianoo also highlighted the connection between poor officiating and hooliganism in Ghanaian football, noting that controversial decisions often fuel fan unrest.

“Hooliganism and football have always been intertwined, but officiating is a major trigger. When referees make repeated errors and suspicions arise that certain teams are being favored or targeted for relegation, it creates an atmosphere of distrust

Comparing the situation to the English Premier League (EPL), Fianoo pointed out that while referees there also make mistakes, the key difference lies in accountability.

In the EPL, referees are punished for poor decisions, but here in Ghana, it has become a pattern. The perception that officialdom is behind some of these decisions is an open secret. When there’s a cloud of suspicion hanging over our league, it damages credibility

He called for urgent reforms in officiating to restore confidence among clubs, players, and supporters.

“If referees are trusted and their decisions are respected, even genuine mistakes will be accepted. But when that trust is lost, hooliganism will continue to plague our game

His comments add to the growing calls for improved officiating in the Ghana Premier League, as the league struggles to maintain its integrity amidst allegations of bias and corruption, as it is set to resume after March 6