Following the issuance of the statement of expulsion by the Liberia Football Association for referee Josephus Torjilar from all football activities within the country for woeful officiating in the National County Sports Meet match between Lofa and Bomi Counties, football forums have given different opinions, with many terming it as a harsh decision.
Stakeholders at the football association and critics of the current administration have termed the football association’s decision as a wrong decision, which is allegedly intended to buy public sentiment and steer fear and dissatisfaction among local match officials.
On the other side of the debate, the stakeholders maintain that the action of Josephus Torjilar in the quarter final match involving the two counties was a premeditated one that undermines the growth and development of football and also destroyed the actual intent of the County Meet.
Senior Female Professionals president, Emmet Glasco, disclosed that the expulsion of the referee from football activities in the country by the football house is wrong, alleging that the official in question was not given due process.
He admitted that it is known that Josephus made some errors that cost the county a lot and tampered with the credibility of the County Meet, but expelling him without due process is wrong and against his professional career as a referee.
He called on the Liberia Football Association to accord the Class-A referee a due process that will legitimize the action taken against him, adding that other referees under the jurisdiction of the LFA have committed dangerous offenses that have not been conclusively investigated or punished, like the hastened action against Josephus.
For his part, the former president of the Liberia Football Association, Musa Hassan Bility, revealed that Josephus Torjilar being in charge of such competitive fixture robbing Grand Gedeh County of their hard-earned victory at the nation’s premier tournament, should face a penalty for his action.
Meanwhile, the referee committee of the Liberia Football Association has upheld the result of the quarterfinal match between Lofa and Bomi Counties, which makes Lofa’s 2-1 victory over the westerners legitimate.
According to the committee report, the request made to them relative to the review of a penalty awarded in favor of Lofa County in its National County Sports Meet match with Bomi County played at the SKD Sports Complex on Sunday, April 28, 2024, was investigated, upholding the decision of the referee, which is in accordance with the laws of the game.
The report added that the claim made by Bomi County, that they were deprived of a penalty in the dying minutes of the second half of the match, did not show through the video footage and photographs provided.
