Assistant referee banned 12 matches over wrong offside call against Medeama

The Ghana Football Association Match Review Panel has handed assistant referee Banabas Amenyo a lengthy ban after he admitted to an error in the league meeting between Medeama and Accra Lions on February 5.

Amenyo has been banned for 12 games for a wrong offside call that denied Medeama a correct goal as they lost 1-0 to Lions at the Accra Sports Stadium.

In the 20th minute and the scoreline barren, Amenyo wrongfully raised his flag for offside, effectively ruling out a goal Medeama had scored.

Medeama lodged a formal complaint with the GFA’s Match Review Panel who after reviewing footage from the game have determined that the goal was clearly not offside.

“Footage showed that there was no offside incident anywhere and the goal showed have stood,” the GFA’s statement said.

The GFA statement added that Amenyo admitted that he made a mistake and that the goal should have stood.

The Match Review Panel ruled that the decision changed the course of the game and, hence, handed him a 12-match ban.

The panel also ruled that Amenyo’s understanding of the Offside Law is questionable and he must be given further training after serving his suspension at the lower-level division.