Ghana’s banned referee Joseph Lamptey has rendered an unqualified apology to the people of Senegal for his poor officiating in a match between South Africa and the Terrenga Lions.
The knight of the whistle made some serious errors in the 2018 World Cup qualifier which was won 2-1 by South Africa last November leading to FIFA banning him for life and calling for a replay of the match.
South Africa, who placed fourth on the Group D standings, are scheduled to host third-placed Senegal in a rematch in November, 2017.
Lamptey has stated that he was not trying to favour South Africa’s Bafana Bafana, who were the home side at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane.
“I deeply love Senegal and I’m sorry. I can tell you that I felt deep pain after having done such an injustice against that country,” Lamptey told Senegal News Agency.
“I really love that country. My mistake [in the game] was never intentional. That can happen to you in your line of work as a journalist. “Right or wrong? It is truly a human error but never did I want to do something against Senegal for anybody’s interest,” he continued.
“When I came back from the match in South Africa, my wife kept asking me what I had done to the Senegalese people. I told her so many times that it was a huge [human] error that I made against a country I adore.”
Meanwhile, World Court of Sports Arbitration (CAS) has rejected an appeal by referee Lamptey for the court to overturn the life ban slammed on him by FIFA.
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com
