PLB engages referees on match manipulation
January 24, 2019
By Yusufu S. Bangura
Referees at the one day seminar
Ahead of the kick-start of the Sierra Leone Premier League, the Premier League Board has on Wednesday, January 23, 2019, engaged referees on match-manipulation/fixing and the updated rules of the game.
At a one-day seminar hosted at the Atlantic Hall, Siaka Stevens Stadium, Acting President of the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA), Brima Manzolla Kamara, said the workshop was a special one for the referees.
He said the referees were key to making the premier league be successful and expressed optimising that with their integrity, he knew they could do justice to the tournament.
“Referees are special people to me. During my playing days, I had good relationship with them. I want to applaud the premier league board chairman for using his tremendous work to make the referees’ association very important in society,” the SLFA acting president said.
He added that as an F.A.,they have the expertise to help the referees achieve their goals, and that they would be ready to provide them with the necessary support whenever in need.
The PLB chairman, Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai, said they were excited to see things unfold; adding that they were building a big mansion for a foundation has already been laid by the government.
Saffa Abdulai said the importance of the day’s forum was to have a good and fair league that will be free from any match manipulations.
He said: “We are not here because we want to do fun-fair but because we want to maintain the words of transparency and integrity which the president always says.”
Veteran referee, Denis Sorie said, despite there were no effective leagues going on before now, the referees have improved a lot and assured all that they will elevate their standards in the upcoming league.
He said referees should be psychological, physically and mentally fit to take on matches.
He discouraged the referees from any dubious malpractices that might jeopardize the game.
“I assure you all here today that the referees to officiate this upcoming league will do so free of bribery and manipulation,” he affirmed.