Kurt Edwin Simon Okraku, President of the Ghana Football Association and 2nd Vice President of CAF, has defended the referees who officiated the recent Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final.
Senegal secured their second AFCON title by defeating Morocco 1-0, but the match was marred by several contentious incidents. Tensions escalated when Senegal expressed concerns over a penalty awarded to the host nation, which Brahim Diaz attempted to convert but ultimately failed, allowing Edward Mendy to make the save.
Before the penalty was taken, Senegal’s coach urged his players to head to the tunnel, but their inspirational leader, Sadio Mane, insisted they return to the pitch to continue the match.
In a recent interview, Okraku shared his perspective on the referees, emphasizing that they are human and susceptible to errors, much like officials in Europe and other regions. He stated, “Referees are not infallible; they, too, can make mistakes.”
Referees are human beings. They will make a mistake today and get things right tomorrow. That happens in Africa, it happens in Europe, it happens everywhere.”
In addition to the above incident, there were several instances in some matches that caused the fans to question the decisions of the referees.