Retired referee Joseph Lamptey Willington has jumped to the defense of suspended Joseph Lamptey insisting refereeing is not an easy job.

Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) has suspended Ghanaian referee Joseph Lamptey for three months.

This follows what has been described as poor officiating in the World Cup qualifier clash between South Africa and Senegal, widespread media reports have claimed.

The experienced referee was guilty of awarding a controversial penalty to South Africa to aid them to record a 2-1 win over Senegal at Peter Mokaba Stadium Polokwane.

Senegal lodged an official protest with CAF over the performance of the referee.

CAF are said to have taken a decision to punish the FIFA referee but the experienced referee says refereeing is not an easy job.

“I understand the decision taken by CAF but refereeing is not an easy job and you need to make a decision within split seconds,” Willington told Asempa FM.

“He [Joseph Lamptey] should have contacted his assistant referee because we all thought it was a penalty until the replay was shown.

“We shouldn’t say he was bribed by the South Africans because these things happen in football but I will urge him not worry because he has a bright future ahead of him," Mr Wellington said. 

He added that, “He is a human being and he is bound to make mistakes so we shouldn’t condemn him because he is one of the best referees we have in the country now so let wait and see what happens when he returns and as I have said these incidents in the penalty areas are just 90 percent luck.”