FIFA Bans Ghanaian Referee, Lamptey, for Life For Match-Fixing

 

FIFA Bans Ghanaian Referee, Lamptey, for Life For Match-Fixing

World football governing body FIFA has handed a life-time ban to Ghanaian referee Joseph Lamptey after finding him guilty of ‘unlawfully influencing the result’ of the 2018 World Cup qualifier between South Africa and Senegal.

According to a statement issued by Fifa, Lamptey would no longer take part in any kind of football-related activity (administrative, sports or any other), Kickoff writes.

Lamptey was hauled over the coals for his handling of the match in Polokwane on November 12 last year, and was consequently suspended by Fifa following an appeal by Senegal.

 ‘The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has decided to ban the Ghanaian match official Joseph Odartei Lamptey from taking part in any kind of football-related activity (administrative, sports or any other) at national and international level for life,” the statement read.

 “The official was found guilty of unlawfully influencing match results.”

Meanwhile Fifa said it was dismissing charges against another Ghanaian match official David Lionheart Nii Lartey Laryea, who had also been under investigation.

“Further information concerning the South Africa v. Senegal match in question will be provided once the decision becomes final and binding.

“FIFA will continue with its ongoing efforts to combat match manipulation through a variety of initiatives, which include the monitoring of international betting and a confidential reporting system with a dedicated integrity hotline and e-mail address,” it added.

Lamptey controversially awarded South Africa a penalty in the 43rd minute after adjudging that Gueye had handled the ball inside his penalty area, though TV replays later showed that the ball had clearly hit the player’s legs.

South Africa went on to win the game 2-1 and are currently joint top of their qualifying group with Burkina Faso.

Lamptey joins Rajindraparsad Seechurn as top African referees to come under the hammer in recent times.

The Mauritanian was slapped with a six-month ban for his calamitous handling of the 2015 Afcon quarterfinal match between hosts Equatorial Guinea and Tunisia.

The Ghanaian, however, is not the only referee to be banished from the sport as six match officials from Bosnia and Hungary were handed life bans in 2011 for their scandalous officiating in a four-team international tournament in Turkey.