Referee’s assessor Thomas Atifu has disclosed that Referee Kennedy Padi decided to quit officiating at the end of the season and not because of his suspension.
Kennedy Padi has been suspended by the Ghana Football Association following his horrendous mistake in the game between Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak in week 24 fixture of the Ghana Premier League played at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium.
The Class One referee awarded a penalty to Asante Kotoko which was protested by Hearts of Oak leading to his ban for the rest of the season.
Padi after getting the ban resigned with reports linking it to his suspension.
Referee Thomas Atifu speaking in an interview on Wamputu Sports disclosed that, Kennedy Padi had already decided to resign.
“Kennedy had already made his intentions clear to us that he would retire in 2022. He had undertaken some courses in Botswana on a fitness course. Those courses were for even retired referees. Even when they found out he was active they wanted to deny him from participating in that course.
“After the 2021/22 season, he decided that he won’t continue. Earlier last year, he run a regional course for referees in Cape Coast. I also run a course with him for referees in the Western region. The tendency for him to resign was high. Coincidentally he resigned and the suspension made people think maybe that is the reason. But this was his last season”, he added.
