SAFA referees boss Abdul Ebrahim defends PSL match officials

SAFA referees boss Abdul Ebrahim defends PSL match officials

By Mthobisi Nozulela

Despite a string of controversial refereeing decisions in the DSTV Premiership this season, the SA Football Association’s Head of Referees Abdul Ebrahim has insisted that the standard of officiating was not poor.

Ebrahim said while he was concerned with refereeing errors, he did not think the standard of refereeing was poor and suggested that people were looking at things in isolation.

“I am concerned when referees make errors, I am not saying that last night’s game was not error free, but what I am saying is I get concerned when we see referees make errors and obviously we work very hard to try to eliminate those errors,” said Ebrahim during an interview with Thabiso Mosia on the Radio 2000’s sports show on Tuesday night.

“People who talk about the standard of refereeing being poor, I don’t think that sits well with me because people are looking at incidents in isolation and they don’t look at the bigger picture, so the standard of refereeing is not poor,” said Ebrahim.

PSL match referees have been criticised recently after comments by Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rhulani Mokwena, who felt his team conceded two goals due to poor refereeing decisions. Mokwena was perplexed when the referee consulted the fourth referee before awarding a goal in a match against Moroka Swallows.

AmaZulu coach Pablo Franco Martin also blamed the referee for awarding Orlando Pirates a dubious penalty at the weekend during a Nedbank Cup knockout match.

IOL also compiled a list of at least five other incidences in the season where coaches had taken referees to task for their decisions.

Ebrahim added that referees make errors and compared the situation to how coaches themselves also commit tactical mistakes during the game.

“Yes, referees do make mistakes, but that does not mean someone becomes poor because of their mistake coaches lose matches and make bad substitution during a game, does that make them a poor coach?

“A team can not score a goal after having 10 opportunities, does that make a poor team? It does not, it just means that on the day that or that particular coach did not have a good thing, but to say that the standard of referring is poor no,” said Ebrahim.

Ebrahim further revealed that he was not concerned with coaches complaining about referees but was more concerned when he saw referees make errors in matches

“I am not concerned when coaches complain they have every right to express their opinion and I have never denied anyone from having an opinion as far as referring is concerned.”

What do you make of Ebrahim’s comments?

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