Accra, July 23, GNA- Mr. Douglass Djarbeng, chairman of the Division One League (DOL) Board has justified the payment of 5.8 million cedis by each club as officiating fee for the 2003 division one league Speaking to the GNA Sports Mr. Djarbeng said last year the clubs paid 380,000 cedis per match as officiating fee, which totalled 3.5 million cedis for the season. He said following the call for an increment by the Referees Association Of Ghana (RAG), the money was raised to 840,000 cedis per match, which now puts the total cost at 5.8 million cedis. He said this amount takes care of the referee, his assistants, fourth referee and the match commissioners for each match.

Mr. Djarbeng said, the DOL is not interested in cheating any club adding that the amount was charged based on the demand by the referees. "People are making so much noise on the amount forgetting that even the division two clubs and juvenile clubs pay officiating fees, so why are the bigger clubs rather crying", Mr Djarbeng queried.

He said the GFA even takes care of the hotel bills and the transportation of referees who travel long distances to officiate in matches adding that the amount has even been subsidized by the association.

Mr. Djarbeng said DOL would be compelled to go back to the old system where home clubs pay officiating fees after each match but this leads to the cheating of away clubs.

He said when this happens referees can even decide to abandon matches after the first half on the failure of the home clubs to pay officiating fees saying the present system is the best option.

Mr. Djarbeng called on the clubs to make their payments in time to ensure the running of a smooth division one league.

Touching on the withdrawal of Dawu Youngsters and Yeji Lions from the league, Mr. Djarbeng said the league would go on as planned because the withdrawal of the clubs would not in any way affect it.

The chairman said Mamobi Mitdjyland have been served with a letter to take the place of Dawu Youngsters because they are the next in succession even though they were relegated to the division two league. He said seven clubs would be in zone 1A following the withdrawal of the Yendi Lion.

Mr. Djarbeng explained that there was no division two league in the northern regions, therefore there was no team to replace them hence 47 clubs would take part in the league instead of 48. He however expressed the hope that the league would kick off successfully as planned adding that all the needed preparations have been done to ensure a smooth sail.

The division one league is expected to kick off at all the centres on Saturday, July 26.