Chronicle Editor
Harare Bureau
ZIMBABWEAN female football referee Thanks Nyahuye returned home prematurely from the ongoing Caf Women’s Champions League Cosafa qualifier in Durban after she failed a physical fitness test.
Nyahuye, who is on the Fifa panel, got injured as the match officials were undergoing the pre-tournament fitness tests in South Africa last week.
She returned home after the setback and Zifa had to cater for the cost. The referees’ flights and accommodation costs are catered for by the organisers Cosafa, but in the event of one failing a fitness test, the local association steps in.
On a closer look, it was not entirely Nyahuye’s fault that she could not make it. Zimbabwean referees have been out of action for close to two years because of the continued suspension of the game as a result of Covid-19.
Just like the players, referees have had to rely on individual training programmes at home. The continued suspension of sport has affected many stakeholders from players, referees to the financial partners.
The unfortunate incident comes at a time regional football is enjoying significant strides in the development of female referees.
Speaking to Cosafa TV on the sidelines of the Caf Champions League tournament on Sunday, Zimbabwean expert Felix Tangawarima, who is responsible for developing referees for Fifa and Caf in the region, said the development is encouraging.
“Female referees have stood head above shoulders. When we develop them, we are preparing them for bigger tests. We are happy with the development of women referees,” said Tangawarima.
The former Zimbabwean top referee said the match officials are assessed daily after their games at the tournament underway in Durban.
“After the matches, we group them for debriefing every evening at 7pm. We use images and clips of matches and discuss why particular incidents and officiating happened. We review each match by way of images,” he said.
Online Reporter