Meshack Motloung

Meshack Motloung

The referees review committee yesterday recommended the immediate suspension of referee Abdul Ebrahim and fourth official Yusuf Vawda for the red card he showed Bloemfontein Celtic's Geoffrey Sserunkuma at the weekend.

Ebrahim erroneously red-carded Sserunkuma and later admitted that it was a case of mistaken identity during Celtic's Telkom Knockout semifinal game against Orlando Pirates at Chatsworth Stadium, Durban, last Saturday.

The culprit was Cyril Mubiala who elbowed Irvin Sello Mhlambi, the Bucs striker.

The committee also recommend that Mubiala be charged with violent conduct, which could lead to a suspension.

Kirsten Nematandani, the chairman of the referees committee said Ebrahim and Vawda would remain suspended until there was a review hearing.

"I thank the review committee for the wonderful job they did on the matter and we believe that justice will prevail," he said.

Ebrahim has been at the centre of controversy before. He was slapped with a suspension last year along with match commissioner Robert Pillay and assistant referee Lwandile Mfiki after the Telkom Knockout final between Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns at Loftus Stadium.

Ebrahim allowed Sundowns to bring on Patrick Apataki as a substitute after extra time for the penalty shootout.

In another incident this year, the same Ebrahim failed to take appropriate action when Chiefs' striker Tshepo Bulu was elbowed by Maritzburg United's defender Gary Goldstone during their Absa Premiership game at Chatsworth Stadium.

The review committee took the incident into account but they did not take action against the whistleman, said Steve Goddard, chairman of the referees review committee.