bemobile referees cry foul over payments

VICE president of the Western Highlands referees Association Francis Kot claims that referees and linesmen for the 2010 bemobile Cup competition have not been properly looked after.
Kot told The National in Mt Hagen claiming that they were not paid their allowances while many other referees and linesmen were overlooked.
He said that they have been taking the field without any payment since the competition started this year.
He said it was obvious that the organisers of the competition executive did not consider referees and linesman as the important people controlling the games.
Kot said without any referees and linesmen the competition would stop.
He said the PNG rugby league referees association had also failed its duties to fight hard for the referees who had officia ted to maintain the competition’s semi-professional standards.
He said this could affect next year’s competition because many referees would be refusing to control the game.
Kot said that this situation could also affect other referees in the highlands and urged bemobile and the referees association to address the problem.
He said that in the previous SP cup competition referees were given the first priority in terms of allowances, accommodation and transport.
Kot said that the same is not happening with the bemobile Cup competition.
Kot said bemobile who as major sponsors had pumped in a substantial amount of money but in the past when SP sponsored the same competition with K100,000 and referees were accommadated in the budget, Kot said.
He called on the national rugby league referees association to address the issues.
He urged organisers of the bemobile Cup to come up with proper draws for the referees and their payment before taking the field starting next year.