The world football Governing body (FIFA) has wedged its big stick as it clamped down on a Ghanaian referee over match manipulation.
The Ghanaian referee, Joseph Lamptey, has been banned for life by Fifa for what it calls “match manipulation”.
National Daily gathered that he officiated a match in which South Africa beat Senegal in Polokwane in the qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia
It was learnt that Lamptey awarded a questionable penalty to South Africa which secured them a 2-1 victory over the visitors.
The match towards 2018 World Cup qualifier was played in November, 2016.
Lamptey was said to have penalised Kalidou Koulibaly for handball, but replays showed the ball hit his knee.
Lamptey can now appeal to Fifa and the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
One his assistants, David Laryea, also from Ghana, had charges against him dismissed by Fifa’s disciplinary committee.
The win for South Africa left them in second place in the four-team group after two matches, with Senegal in third.