The Referees Association of Ghana (RAG) has reversed a decision it took four years ago to ban 74 referees captured on tape taking bribe in Anas Aremeyaw Anas’s Number 12 exposé.
The controversial documentary captured several match officials accepting bribes to change the outcome of the games in the Ghana Premier League, Women's League, Division One League and MTN FA Cup.
A statement signed on 15 June 2022 by the General Secretary of the association, Alex Atuahene Anning claimed RAG arrived at their latest decision 'upon advice from its Legal Counsel'.
The National Council sitting on Monday, 6 June 2022, approved that all referees suspended by the referees' governing body in the country have been pardoned effective 1 January 2022 except those who have their cases pending in court.
Also, the referees who have their cases pending in court [against the body] have up till August 2022 to withdraw the case (s) and show evidence of withdrawal of the case 'to benefit from this olive branch gesture of lifting of the suspension'.
After the airing of the famous documentary in June 2018, all referees and assistant referees, numbering 74 were banned.
Below is the list of referees (assistants included) suspended by RAG:
FIFA REFEREES 1. Prosper Adii 2. Issaka Afful 3. Reginald Lathbridge 4. Nathan Anafo 5. Cecil Amatey Fleischer 6. Adaari Latif
ASSISTANT FIFA REFEREES 7. Dawood Ouedraogo 8. Ibrahim Adam Badiu 9. Eric Nantiere 10. A. S. Malik 11. David Adjin 12. David Laryea 13. Theresa Akogyam
PREMIER REFEREES 14. Yaw Ametepey 15. Dally Gagba 16. William Agbovi 17. Sylvester Adzoku 18. S. B. Bortey 19. Nuhu Liman 20. Mclord Arhin 21. Emmanuel Ansah 22. Amofa Sarkodiee 23. Justice Adu Poku 24. Timothy Obuobisa 25. Wiseman Ghansah 26. Prince Amoah 27. Samuel Sukah 28. Samuel Kyeremeh 29. Otis Oppong 30. Awal Mohammed 31. Daniel Dogbetor 32. Uriah Glah 33. Eku Boateng 34. Solomon Mordey
PREMIER ASSISTANT REFEREES 35. Alhassan Yahaya 36. Haruna Bawa 37. Safo Adade 38. Samuel Borquaye 39. Samuel Opoku Boateng 40. Alhassan Badiu 41. Ben Wormawor 42. Emurana Salifu 43. Joseph Ayambila 44. Salifu Rahman 45. Samuel Asiedu 46. Joseph Sey 47. Ashitey Armah 48. Jason Nunoo 49. Philip Darko 50. Ashong Ibrahim 51. Augustine Akugri 52. Ben Samari 53. Kennedy Bentil 54. Freeman Awulo 55. Nii Kotey Kotei
DIVISION ONE REFEREES 56. Heyford Adehe 57. Dickson Wellington 58. Abraham Poku 59. Prince Coffie
DIVISION ONE ASSISTANT REFEREES 60. Saviour Amevor 61. Atsu Dogbey 62. Charles Abloh 63. Daniel Diawu 64. Joseph Laryea 65. E. B. Quaye
WOMEN LEAGUE 66. Fulera Iddrisu Bamie 67. Eugenia Asigri 68. Richlove Awuah 69. Esther Awo Detse
RETIRED REFEREES 70. Leanier Addy 71. S. A. Quaye 72. Wellington Joseph 73. Umar Teni 74. Charles Dowuona