The Appeals Committee of the Ghana football association has overturned the decision of the Referees Review Panel that suspended FIFA Referee Julian Nunoo.
Nunoo after a wonderful performance in the match Day 6 of the Ghana Premier League clash between Asante Kotoko and King Faisal at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium was handed a 4-match ban for a poor offside decision.
The promising young referee and his assistant in that game, Roland Addy, were each handed four-game bans by the Ghana Football Association Match Review Panel following their assessment of the game.
According to the Review Panel both Nunoo and his assistant were wrong in penalising the Kotoko striker for an offside offence.
“Per the video, the Panel observed that Asante Kotoko player No. 9 who was flagged offside was really not in an offside position at the time the ball was kicked. The Assistant 2 Referee, Roland Addy’s positioning was problematic which made him take a wrong decision in ruling the player offside. Both the referee and the assistant erred in the 11th-minute decision,” the statement from the GFA said.
“The Referee Julian Nunoo is therefore given a four (4) match day ban effective the date of communication for the clear error committed in the 11th minute of the game. Assistant 2 (Referee Roland Addy) is also suspended for four (4) match days effective on the date of communication.”
The ruling got several Kotoko fans and some management members jubilating over the ban handed Nunoo.
But as rightful as he has always been, Nunoo relentlessly appealed the decision insisting he was not wrong in whistling for an offside since his assistant was in a better position and flagging the player led him to blow his whistle for an offside.
The Appeals Committee, considering the appeal and watching the footage of the game again and again, applauded Nunoo for the decision, overturning the decision of the Review Panel.
“We have reviewed the documents relied upon by the panel, including video footage of the incident subject matter of the decision.
We note from the video footage that the offside decision was made by the appellant when his assistant who was ahead of him and in line with the players, raised his flag, signalling offside,” the Appeals Committee decision on February 3, 2022 noted.
“The video footage clearly shows that the referees could not have overruled the Assistant Referee, and therefore he cannot be faulted for making the offside decision.”
“In the circumstances, we allow the appeal and set aside the decision of the Match Review Panel,” it added.
The Ghana FA has also been directed by the Appeals Committee to refund all expenses incurred by Referee Julian Nunoo in the process of filing the appeal.
In that same game, Nunoo overturned a penalty decision after initially pointing to the spot in favour of Kotoko.
“The 37th-minute reversal of a penalty that was taken against King Faisal and in favour of Asante Kotoko was a very vital decision because even if the player handled the ball, the ball came from his own teammate and therefore the defender cannot be penalized for handball. The referee took the right decision in this respect,” the decision read.
The Review Panel applauded Nunoo for that quick decision in the first ruling which clearly justifies that the gentleman was on top of his job.
Despite the ruling by the Appeals Committee, Nunoo has already served the 4-match ban initially handed him by the panel and is expected to be compensated for serving a punishment he never deserved.
Nunoo is expected to be back officiating a Premier League game this weekend.
King Faisal beat Kotoko 3-2 in that game.
Source: FootballMadeInGhana.com
