The GFA Disciplinary Committee has dismissed the case against Referee Abdul Latif Qadir in respect of the GN Bank Division One League match between Berlin FC and Unity FC played on 12th April, 2015.
Referee Abdul Latif Qadir was accused of signaling for a Two (2) minutes extra time to be played, which was showed by the 4th referee but played about Twelve (12) minutes of extra time until the home team Berlin FC scored the winning goal resulting in confrontation and the match ending at around 5:15pm contrary to the stipulations of the GFA Regulations.
Referee Abdul Latif Qadir was charged for a breach of Articles 35(7)(a) and 35(7)(d) of the GFA General Regulations.
DEFENCE Referee Abdul Latif Qadir in his Statement of Defence pleaded not guilty to the charge.
PROCEEDINGS AND FINDINGS The Committee examined the depositions in the Charge Sheet, the Statement of Defence and the reports of the match officials of the match.
In his defence, Referee Abdul Latif Qadir stated that the match did not end at 5:15pm and added the following that:
“The match started at 3:00pm and I ended the first half at 3:47pm because I played two minutes (2) as added time. The recess lasted for fifteen minutes (15) so the second half started at 4:02pm. The match ended at 4:54pm. This is because two minutes of added time was played. The second goal scored by Berlin FC was in the 89th minute of play”.
He continued that: “That is the first minute of two minutes added time. When the goal was scored, the goalkeeper of Unity FC by name Joe Agyemang rushed on me and pushed me claiming that he was pushed by a player of Berlin FC this drew his players to the scene. This incident held up play for five minutes (5). When sanity prevailed, I played the one minute of added time left. Hence ending the match at 4:54pm. If I had ended the match at five fifteen pm (5:15pm) as the report is stating, the additional time would have more than the twelve minutes they claimed that I played”.
With the limitation of video footage on this occasion, the Committee holds that it will side with the presumption stated in Article 85(3) of the Disciplinary Code. On the facts concerning incidents on the field of play, the Referee’s report is considered authoritative over the facts in the Match Commissioner’s report.
The Disciplinary Committee was satisfied with the evidence before it that the referee is also the sole judge of time during play and therefore will hold that Referee Abdul Latif Qadir was not in breach of the Regulations.
DECISION The Disciplinary Committee having satisfied itself that the evidence adduced before it does not supports the charge against Referee Abdul Latif Qadir, hereby dismiss the charge against him.