The under-pressure match official has confirmed that he was once an avid supporter of one-time CAF Champions League title holders Hearts of Oak.
Ghanaian referee Franklin Akumatey stole headlines over the weekend in the Ghana Premier League after awarding a ‘non-existing’ penalty to Bibiani Goldstars against Asante Kotoko.
Akumatey, who handled the match-week 13 fixture at the Dun's Park on Sunday, awarded a controversial penalties to the home side in a match which ended in a 1-1 draw.
His poor performance sparked fury across the football ecosystem in the West African nation which forced people to dig into the past of referee Franklin Akumatey on social media to found out he is a die-hard fan of their sworn-rivals, Accra Hearts of Oak.
Eii really?? Good morning referee Franklin Akumatey @FRAkumatey!? pic.twitter.com/bIp6WZDzy6
— BERKO Richard ✌️ (@BerkoRich) January 18, 2023
Akumatey in an interview with Kumasi-based radio station, Kessben TV on Wednesday morning admitted that he was once a supporter of Hearts of Oak.
“I'm the person who made all those posts on my Facebook account in 2011. I won't deny that I wasn't a fan of Hearts of Oak. I was but no more a fan of any football club because of my job as a referee,” Akumatey told Kessben TV in an interview monitored by Kickgh.com
“Those posts were made in 2011 when I was amateur football referee. I became a professional referee from the lower divisions in 2012. I want to apologize to Asante Kotoko and its stakeholders for the errors, I made in the game”
In the match which ended in a one-all draw in Bibiani, Asante Kotoko opened the scoring account in the first half through Ugandan international Steven Mukwala.
But two controversial penalties were given to GoldStars subsequently in the second half with goalkeeper Frederick Asare rising to the occasion to deny all the two though he wasn't lucky with the first to aid Kotoko runout with a point from Bibiani.
The astonishing part is that, the first penalty given to Bibiani Goldstars went off the hand of their own player and had to be a foul against them instead.
He apologised to entire Kotoko fraternity and added he is ever ready for any punishment that will follow as a results of his poor display in the top-flight league game.
“The truth is it was human error, when both players jumped in the air and the header from the attacker I saw the hand that touched the ball to be that of the defender, I was so sure of it."
“It was after that game that I watched the video and realized it was a wrong call to award such a penalty to Goldstars. I would have reversed the decision if I had a Video Assistant Referee (VAR). “I wished there was a VAR at the Dun's Park to rescind my decision of awarding a penalty to Bibiani Goldstars,”
“It was a big mistake and I admit for making such decision. I didn't get any support from my colleagues [match officials] to make a concrete decision on the penalty”
“I want to apologize to Asante Kotoko and its stakeholders for the blunders, I've not been myself since Monday afternoon. I am ready for any punishment from the Ghana Football Association Match Review Panel”
