Ghanaian referee Joseph Odartei Lamptey is set to miss out on the 2017 African Cup of Nations, reports in Senegal suggest.
According to media outlet Jotay.net, the 42-year-old centre referee will not take part in the Nations Cup following a three-month ban slapped on him by the Confederation of African Football.
Lamptey has come for ridicule and serious criticism for his infamous penalty decision during South Africa’s 2-1 win over Senegal in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers earlier this month.
The Group D qualifier was heading towards a listless stalemate at half-time before referee Lamptey gave a penalty to the hosts for handball, even though replays showed the ball struck Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly on the thigh.
“Indeed Joseph O. Lamptey has just been suspended for 3 months by CAF, we have learned from a statement of the Senegalese Football Federation of which a copy has reached JOTAY.NET,” the report claimed.
Referee Lamptey has become notoriously noted for controversial decisions as he was suspended for 6months in 2011 by Caf for poor officiating during a second leg semi-final CAF Champions League clash between Al Ahly and Esperance. Joseph Lamptey and his team of assistants had allowed a handball goal by Nigerian striker Michael Eneramo in favour of the Tunisians.
Also in 2012, he was noticed for his many “errors” in an international friendly between Gabon and Portugal.