January 22, 2019
By Sahr Morris Jnr
PLB chairman, Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai wants a better officiating for the league
Chairman of Sierra Leone Premier League (PLB), Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai has called for disciplinary action against match officials who fall short in performance when officiating the forthcoming Sierra Leone premier league.
In a build up to the official kick-off of the league, the PLB last Saturday 19th January 2019, met with members of the SLFA referees committee together with the SLFA acting President, Brima Manzolla Kamara and the acting Secretary General, Abdul Rahman Swarray at the Football Academy, Kingtom in Freetown.
According to Abdulai, the referees must uphold the integrity of the game as they are essential towards the success of the premier league.
A statement from the PLB Media stated that fruitful deliberation ranging on issues surrounding the role of the referees in the country’s top tier league, and few resolutions.
One of the resolutions agreed is that the PLB, SLFA and Referees Committee shall uphold the integrity of matches and match officials by ensuring the principle of independence of match officials before, during and immediately after every premier league match is maintained.
Also, all matches will play in accordance with the laws of the game as stated by the International Football Association Board of FIFA-AB.
“Referees, assistant and fourth officials for the premier league matches will be appointed by the referee’s committee,” another agreed resolution stated while the committee will take full responsibility for any bad officiating or misconduct by any match official that will bring the game into disrepute.
Meanwhile, as a form of motivation for the referees, the PLB presented officiating materials which include whistles, brandishing flags for Assistant Referees and match balls.