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Zimbabwean referees appointed for international assignments
03 Sep 2021 at 06:47hrs | Views
ZIMBABWEAN football referees will be busy this month after receiving appointments to officiate in international matches on the continent.
Referees on the Fifa panel were appointed to handle matches ranging from World Cup qualifiers, Champions League qualifiers and the women's Cosafa Championships.
Top referee Brighton Chimene was centre referee yesterday in the game between Madagascar and Benin at the Stade de Barea in Antananarivo. He was assisted by Thomas Kusosa and Brighton Nyika, with Prince Mathumo as the fourth official.
Chimene will be back in action when Caf Champions League action gets underway mid-month by handling the match between Royal Leopards and Zambian side Zesco United on September 11 in Eswatini. He will be assisted by Luckson Mhara and Salani Ncube, with Mathumo again as the fourth official.
Referee Lawrence Zimondi and his team of assistants Tafadzwa Nkala, Edgar Rumeck and fourth official Mathumo will travel to Angola to handle the Caf Champions League match between Grupo Desportivo Interclube and Mafunzo SC of Zanzibar on September 18.
Female referees also received recognition and have been assigned to officiate in matches when the women's Cosafa Championships are staged in Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth), South Africa, from September 28 to October 9.
Female centre referee Mercy Mayimbo and assistants Faith Mloyi and Stella Ruvinga are expected to be in South Africa a week before the regional tournament kicks-off to undergo a fitness test.
In the absence of active football, the female referees will have to work extra hard and ensure good condition and physical fitness to avoid being sent home early.
Last week, Zifa was embarrassed and had to fork out airfares for referee Thanks Nyahuye after she failed a fitness test at the ongoing women's Caf Champions League Cosafa qualifier in Durban. Zifa Referees' Committee chairperson Brighton Malandule said although they have received recognition, the lockdown has greatly affected them.
"Our referees get recognition and are travelling, but they are not practicing due to (the) football lockdown. Covid-19 has affected the performance and appointments of referees. We have not been able to conduct fitness tests and there are no matches for our officials to take part in. So, we appeal to the referees to follow their individual training programmes at home," Malandule said.
Referees on the Fifa panel were appointed to handle matches ranging from World Cup qualifiers, Champions League qualifiers and the women's Cosafa Championships.
Top referee Brighton Chimene was centre referee yesterday in the game between Madagascar and Benin at the Stade de Barea in Antananarivo. He was assisted by Thomas Kusosa and Brighton Nyika, with Prince Mathumo as the fourth official.
Chimene will be back in action when Caf Champions League action gets underway mid-month by handling the match between Royal Leopards and Zambian side Zesco United on September 11 in Eswatini. He will be assisted by Luckson Mhara and Salani Ncube, with Mathumo again as the fourth official.
Referee Lawrence Zimondi and his team of assistants Tafadzwa Nkala, Edgar Rumeck and fourth official Mathumo will travel to Angola to handle the Caf Champions League match between Grupo Desportivo Interclube and Mafunzo SC of Zanzibar on September 18.
Female centre referee Mercy Mayimbo and assistants Faith Mloyi and Stella Ruvinga are expected to be in South Africa a week before the regional tournament kicks-off to undergo a fitness test.
In the absence of active football, the female referees will have to work extra hard and ensure good condition and physical fitness to avoid being sent home early.
Last week, Zifa was embarrassed and had to fork out airfares for referee Thanks Nyahuye after she failed a fitness test at the ongoing women's Caf Champions League Cosafa qualifier in Durban. Zifa Referees' Committee chairperson Brighton Malandule said although they have received recognition, the lockdown has greatly affected them.
"Our referees get recognition and are travelling, but they are not practicing due to (the) football lockdown. Covid-19 has affected the performance and appointments of referees. We have not been able to conduct fitness tests and there are no matches for our officials to take part in. So, we appeal to the referees to follow their individual training programmes at home," Malandule said.
Source - the chronicle
