When Ghanaian referees were described as “seasoned” in the past, it was not for the lack of adjectives.
It was because they were, in fact, seasoned in every sense of the word.
To officiate in the Ghana Premier League requires a minimum of three years of experience in the colts and Division Two league, before sitting for the mandatory exam for the Class Two certificate.
From there, the referee spends a minimum of three years in the Division One League, and based on performance assessments done by the Referee’s Association of Ghana (RAG), they would be invited to sit for an exam for the Class One Certificate.
By the time they start officiating matches in the Ghana Premier League, they would have had a minimum of six years of experience.
That was the old system.However, after the tsunami of September 2018, the GFA and RAG needed to replace these referees.
And even though the conveyor belt was not ready to replace the 61 elite referees who were chased out, the exigencies of the situation demanded it.
Today, RAG has been replaced by the GFA’s Referees Appointment Committee and its match assessors.
The bulk of the referees they produce are also from the current regime’s “Catch Them Young” policy.
There have been some hits and misses.
But among the many being hurriedly promoted, a few inspire hope.
Rita Boateng Nkansah is one of such.
On Saturday, she exhibited a good mix of understanding the spirit and letter of the law, and the real game scenarios that require the enforcement of them.
In an incredibly dishonest sport, it is quite common for players to vehemently protest a referee’s decision even if the referee is right.
But on Saturday, Swedru All Blacks and Bibiani Gold Stars rarely complained, and there is a reason for that.Footballers and their coaches, including the most dishonest, know a good referee when they see one.
And right from kick off, Rita Boateng Nkansah gave the impression of a solid, trustworthy referee.
When there was a need to explain, she communicated calmly, often with a smile that disarmed the few protesting players.Her fitness was impressive, too.
Despite the unfavourably high temperatures in Swedru, she was never behind play.
She was always close enough to the action and from a good angle to make the right call if need be.Her performance was hardly surprising.
In 2023, she won the GFA Women’s referee of the year.
Before that, she was one of two Ghanaian referees selected to officiate the WAFU B U-20 Girls Cup.
In the same year, Rita Boateng received her badge as a FIFA referee.
Like many federations, the Ghana Football Association has been known to be happy to back a good referee where they see the potential for greatness.
For such referees, the GFA gives them a lot of high profile matches to officiate.The logic cannot be questioned; ‘‘if you are good enough, we will trust you with the big games.’’
You cannot argue that.
For a league that struggles for attention, it has to put its best foot forward when people are watching. That means it’s best players, best teams, organization, and match officials.
That was the thinking behind the decision to appoint Rita Boateng Mensah as the referee for last year’s FA Cup final between Nsoatreman and Bofoakwa Tano.
On the continent, her stock is growing too.
After excelling at the WAFU B U-20 Girls Cup, she has become one of CAF’s trusted referees.
In August, Rita Nkansah Boateng was assigned to officiate the CAF Women’s Champions League WAFU B qualifying clash between AS Garde Nationale du Niger and USFA of Burkina Faso.
That assignment marks two years of elite-level officiating in the women’s game, having made her first appearance in the same tournament in 2023.
There will be mistakes along the line, and when she makes them, it will be part of the process of growth.
But so far, Rita Boateng Nkansah is a shining example of a system shedding its old, stained past.
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