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CAF axe Damon from Cameroon match

CAF axe Damon from Cameroon match

Posted: 2011-03-22 21:13

South Africa’s top referee Jerome Damon has been shown the red card – by the Confederation of African Football, who have taken him off a key fixture this Saturday.

Damon, who was Mzansi’s only whistleman at last year’s World Cup, was due to take charge of the key African Nations Cup qualifying match between Senegal and Cameroon in Dakar, but has since been replaced.

The Cape Town schoolmaster has been nixed by Cameron, whose football federation objected to his appointment.

A letter, written earlier this month by Sidiki Tombi, the secretary general of the Cameroon Football Federation, asked for Damon to be removed, along with his two assistants Enoch Molefe and Zakhele Siwela.

Damon refereed Cameroon’s opening qualifying match in Group E when they won 3-1 in Mauritius in September last year.

Cameroon objected to Damon’s awarding of a penalty to the islanders just before half-time. Cameroon also got a penalty in the second half and registered a comfortable win.

Cameroon also objected to a controversial decision that Damon made at the last Nations Cup in Angola when he awarded a goal in the quarter-final, which The Indomitable Lions lost to Egypt.

The shot did not clearly cross the line but proved the final nail in Cameroon’s 3-1 defeat to the Egyptians and their exit from the tournament.

There is concern from Senegal that Cameroon’s influence in the corridors of power in African football is such that they are able to dictate which referees they want in charge of key matches. The new referees for Saturday’s game in Dakar are from Tunisia.

CAF’s president Issa Hayatou hails from Cameroon but said recently he was seeking to stand down soon.

Damon was in Harare on Sunday when he was in charge of an African Champions League match between Dynamos of Zimbabwe and Mouloudia Alger from Algeria.

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KidKudu7: 2011-03-23 03:31

I wish even the PSL teams can be able to dictate which referees they want in their games as guys like Damon & that moron referee Buyile Gqubule cannot officiate crucial games.

I'm glad CAF has rejected this moron. He has cost so many teams with his pathetic dubious decisions on the field.

Bravo Cameroon!!!

aaa : 2011-03-23 06:21

Well said kid kudu7.its high time we start putting pressure and punish all these under performing refs with their hidden agendas.I thought we lived in S.A where nobodys above the law but it seems like these refs are unaccountable for their actions

PPT : 2011-03-23 07:41

Since that bliksem cost us a win in so many derbies I am happy. The best news I had in days. Mhlathi wemfene

People_Lie: 2011-03-23 08:02

I am getting sick and tired of this nigerians sorry cameronians. Okay some countries are running our football not fair at all. This type of interventions should be classified as political. I just can't believe this s**t is happening at this day and age. Clearly it seems there is no fooltball organisation in africa. We cant be happy about this because if it was SA, CAF could have answered with a big NO. Nonsense that.

All psl trophies : 2011-03-23 08:58

The the corner kick and a dubious penalty awarded to NKANDLA PIRATES against Aces backfire.
It serves him right, he must be removed permanently and focus on being a school headmass.

Tolly.ba.Thathe: 2011-03-23 09:16

I just want to know the rules on referees as to whether teams are entitled to either approve or reject the referee who is assigned to do their match. i don't want to quickly jump into the choir of "right decision by CAF to sack him"...is this the very same CAF led by the ever controversial Cameroonean (Issa Hayatou) whose national team is involved here? If indeed there is such a provision then is/was the right procedures of having this matter dealt with followed? Was Issa involved in any way in that decision? Which country/incident has this rule applied to before?

So much as I agree that the two think they are above everyone in the referees' circles especially in SA but I just want to get clarity in as far as the aforesaid questions are concerned because it doesn't help to make noise without being objective and constructive.

Tolly.ba.Thathe: 2011-03-23 09:21

People_Lie: 2011-03-23 08:02 [ Report ]


I am getting sick and tired of this nigerians sorry cameronians. Okay some countries are running our football not fair at all. This type of interventions should be classified as political. I just can't believe this s**t is happening at this day and age. Clearly it seems there is no fooltball organisation in africa. We cant be happy about this because if it was SA, CAF could have answered with a big NO. Nonsense that.


Exactly my point, fellow African. Sometimes we need to look at things wholestically and objectively. If roles were to turn and we are the ones requesting the same CAF to withdraw a particular ref will that request be considered and approved? I doubt and my doubt is justified by previous decisions taken against SA therefore I honestly do not find this as a matter to celebrate instead I feel dishonoured as an African owing to the preconception of our governing bodies even in football.

Mokete: 2011-03-23 09:59

Happy happy happy i just wish he is kick out of PSL matches as well yhu finally they saw what kind of the person he is. hahaha.

People_Lie: 2011-03-23 10:24

@ Tolly.ba.Thathe

I can't agree more with that, we all know he made a match changing decision agaisnt cameroon in angola. The opposite of the one made in the world cup when lampard was supposed to have scored for england. He is only human and such rebounds from the crossbar are difficult to judge, that is another issue for FIFA to act on. It is very sad that some countries have rights to request this and that and they get listened to. I am disappointed with CAF as an organisation they should be protecting refrees. CAF is like a monarchy full of dictators. The only person who can sort this hayatou out is the honourable doctor Ivin the iron duke Khoza he will do it his own way but it will work.

omobobo: 2011-03-23 11:32

One wonder who actually has been most injured by Africa's bad officiating than Nigeria. Go and check Camaroon's world cup records, Nigeria has been robbed for them most of the time. Claude Le Roy was Cameroon's coach at Maroc 88. When he became the coach of Ghana, he openly confessed that Nigeria was openly robbed for his (Cameroonian) team in Morocco in 1988. Henry Nwosu's fine header was disallowed for no reason whatsoever. But since it benefited him, why should he complain since he did not ask for it. Also in Ghana/Nigeria 2002 or so, Voctor Ikpeba's goal was rejected for no reason, only for Cameroon to win again. Confirm the veracity of my claims. Let not your hatred for Nigeria becloud your good sense of judgment. Why didn't even one person complain among South Africans when a French player was wrongly sent off for you during the last world cup? The only thing you could say was that you won? When Nigeria played Argentina in the last world cup, the FIFA team of referees clearly stated that the Argentines' goals should have been disallowed because it was a foul committed against Nigeria that created the chance for the header that was the goal. That was after the referee even clearly stated that he was a fan of Messi and would collect his Jersey. Tell me who is unjustly treated. Nigeria or SA. If you do not work with facts, you will only keep chasing shadows. I want SA team to improve, but with this level of bias always involved, I see it going no where.I know many of you will start spitting venoms here, but find out facts before you write lies. This issue is about Cameroon, not Nigeria. Of all the times that Nigeria has won South Africa, how many times have they been assisted by the referees? After the last match won in Bloemfontein Khune himself admitted there was quality in the team that beat them. I wish you well. But please be fair.

omobobo: 2011-03-23 11:37

Two African Nations' cup ago, the Ivorians beat Nigeria. Till today, it is still a controversy if Drogba's goal was an offside or not. Most people argue it was an off side, and I also think so. The referee was a South African. Should Nigerians say he did it because he is a South African and hated Nigeria? If a Nigerian referee had done that against South Africa, for how long do you think South African would have kept saying that in this forum? Please be fair, and everyone would see it if you are; except those who delibrately choose not to be.

People_Lie: 2011-03-23 12:02

@ omobobo
I feel you my man agree 100% with you, but I feel you missing the point the point here is CAF is biased towards cameroon but if it was SA(or another country) the request could have been rejected. Facts or no facts the refrees performances are always reviewed, if a refree is underperforming he should releived of his duties, but not after he was asked to ref a match then someone complains and then he is removed.

Dikotsi: 2011-03-23 12:24

Lets not just put our misdirected emotions to this issue. The fact here is the power wielded in CAF football, by Cameroon and the impact it has, will have, in continental football. No team has never complained about poor referees decision but that is the nature of football isn't it? Now, the issue here is CAF, Cameroon and the power wielded by one country over the rest in the continent. Should it be reduced to petty issues like guys are doing now, "it was also done to me in so and so date"? lets mature guys and discuss the topic on hand without clouding the issue for we dont know who might be reading this or what influence proper and factual comments can do to some reader somewhere, it could be anyone, even from CAF itself. ( Remember Egypt?). The is a referees selection committee in place at CAf ( i hope) which is tasked to select qualifying referees fro matches, and this committee is now overruled by the very same CAF that selected them. This just boils down to dirty politics whereby we are not surprised by, its the "AFRICAN" way. Or is it? I believe things should change within CAF itself. It is rotten to the core.

Makaykay: 2011-03-23 12:42

@Omobodo,I don't think anyone here mentioned you or Nigeria,so I don't understand your anger towards us,infact we all agree that OUR referee is one of many referees in Africa whose perfomance is a disgrace,but CAF's Hatayatou is also sending wrong messages by acepting's his country's request to leave Damon. So please apologise to all South Africans.

Tolly.ba.Thathe: 2011-03-23 13:35

Jimmy_Vat_Alles_Tau: 2011-03-23 13:12


From what I have gathered the President of the CAF Referees Commision is Sengalese and unless there was interference from the top but if he doesn't speak out then it is his loss because Senegal is the one playing Cameroon.

I raised question in my comments above. Those questions will determine whether the decision is justified or not hence I said it doesn't help if don't know yet the nitty-gritties of what led to the decision except that Cameroon applied and were granted. On which basis and I still repeat myself...is there a clause/rule/regulation/provision that speaks about that, etc?

vuxiya: 2011-03-23 15:47

omobobo: 2011-03-23 11:37 [ Report ]


Two African Nations' cup ago, the Ivorians beat Nigeria. Till today, it is still a controversy if Drogba's goal was an offside
THAT WAS NOT AN OFFSIDE AT ALL JOBO AND CO DID NOT COUT THAT LONG BALL VERY WELL.YOU CAN WATCH A REPLAY NOW ON YOUTUBE

vuxiya: 2011-03-23 15:47

omobobo: 2011-03-23 11:37 [ Report ]


Two African Nations' cup ago, the Ivorians beat Nigeria. Till today, it is still a controversy if Drogba's goal was an offside
THAT WAS NOT AN OFFSIDE AT ALL JOBO AND CO DID NOT COUT THAT LONG BALL VERY WELL.YOU CAN WATCH A REPLAY NOW ON YOUTUBE

Rraago-Thembi (Not Guilty): 2011-03-23 20:54

this is a disgrace, how can caf be so stupid