The Confederation of African Football has announced its monumental decision to  scrap the system of host sides paying indemnities to referees and will now pay them directly, following Ghanaian official Joseph Lamptey's life ban.

Previously, referees were paid by the host nation which CAF admitted created an "ethical challenge".

The verdict will also lift the financial burden on sides competing in CAF competitions as they must pay referees and supporting match officials these monies.

A CAF statement on Wednesday, following the confederation's executive committee meeting in Morocco, read: "Effective 2018, indemnities of referees designated for CAF matches will be paid directly by CAF.

"This historic decision is a materialisation of a campaign promise by the CAF President (Ahmad Ahmad).

"(Until) now, the regulations required host associations to pay these indemnities. The decision reduces the financial burden on national associations and also eliminates an ethical challenge because it removes the suspicion perceived between national associations and the referees."