Corruption scandal hits Ghana's referees' body over 'fictitious' FIFA badge

RAG has been accused of misleading the NC to award FIFA badges to some referees.
Massive corruption allegations have rocked the Referees Association of Ghana (RAG) after FIFA was 'tricked' to award badges to Ghanaian officials under 'fictitious' circumstances to make practical nonsense of the famous Anas exposé.

The referees welfare body is under siege for misleading the Normalisation Committee in sanctioning referees for the FIFA badge.

RAG has been embroiled in allegation of nepotism, cronyism, nationalism and tribalism amid widespread corruption within the body.

It has now emerged that processes leading to the sanctioning of officials for the FIFA badge was done under bizarre and shocking circumstances.

The referees body is under mounting pressure to explain the circumstances leading to the approved list by the interim Ghana FA body.

Former Ghanaian referee Silas Okine is alleging widespread corruption in the selection process. He claims the process was flawed and punctuated with several infractions.

"The list is bogus. I have petitioned the Normalisation Committee to withdraw the list. It's fictitious," he fumed on Asempa FM

"The Normalisation Committee was misled by the Referees Association of Ghana (RAG) and its important we draw their attention to it.

"Many of those on the list do not qualify to be there. For instance, division one newbies have shockingly been handed FIFA badges. The FIFA law is clear on who qualifies to wear the badge.

"If I don't get a response from the Normalisation Committee in two weeks, I will petition FIFA."

World governing body, FIFA has updated their list with with ten new Ghanaian referees joining the elite division.

Charles Bulu, Abdul Latif Qadiri, Benjamin Kwame Sefah and George Mawuli are new addition in the men's category with Mary Tei the only woman to be handed a new FIFA assistant badge.

Ghana's star referee Daniel Laryea leads the cast that includes Abdul Latif Adaari in the men's category.

The soccer community in Ghana was left in outrage after a documentary showed around 100 referees and officials allegedly taking bribes.

Among the officials implicated by the documentary were several high-profile Ghanaian referees who have been left in the cooler after the explosive investigative piece by Anas Aremeyaw Anas.

It appears if the officials are not withdrawn, it will make practical nonsense of the scandal that was enough for the Ghana FA to be dissolved, plunging football in Ghana into crisis.

Source: GHANAsoccernet.com

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Wayne Rooney was arrested following a public intoxication incident at a US airport on December 16, it has emerged.

Wayne Rooney was arrested following a public intoxication incident at a US airport on December 16, it has emerged.

The DC United striker was fined $25 and had to pay $91 costs for the misdemeanour after being arrested by Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority, based near the club's stadium.

The fine was paid on Friday and a court hearing due to take place on January 24 has been waived.

A DC United spokesperson said: "We are aware of news reports indicating that Wayne Rooney was arrested in December.

"We understand the media's interest in this matter but believe this is a private matter for Wayne that DC United will handle internally. We have no further comment."

Rooney enjoyed an impressive first season in the MLS with DC United after joining from Everton on a free transfer in June 2018.


Wayne Rooney after his arrest (Pic courtesy of Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office)

A spokesman for Loudoun County Sheriff's Office added: "He was booked into the Loudoun County Adult Detention Centre on December 16 2018, on a charge of public intoxication stemming from an arrest by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police.

"He was later released on a personal recognisance bond."

The 33-year-old scored 12 goals in 20 games for the club and returned to international duty for a one-off game with England, as Gareth Southgate's side beat USA 3-0 in a friendly at Wembley in November.

The new MLS season is due to start in early March, with DC United's opening game of the campaign coming against 2018 champions Atlanta United.

Rooney, in September 2017, admitted drink-driving on a night out when he was caught driving a woman's Volkswagen Beetle when nearly three times the legal limit.

He was banned from driving for two years and ordered to carry out unpaid work in the community.