adminand international matches after they failed a fitness test at the ongoing Fifa Elite referees course in the capital.
Chafa and Mukucha are on the Fifa referees panel and have been handling domestic Premiership matches.
The Harare officials were among five referees who failed from the 35 participants, who started the course on Monday, with the others being Brighton Nyika, Samuel Dlodlo and Maria Mukoshori, who are on the Zifa panel.
Nyika and Dlodlo handle Premier Soccer League matches while Mukoshori was taking charge of Central Region Division One games.
The Fifa trio of referees development officer Carlos Henriques and instructors Felix Tangawarima and Mark Mzengo are taking the match officials through their paces with the assistance of Caf referees instructor Sport
Dhlamini of Swaziland and Zifa referees fitness trainer.
But it is the failure by two of the most experienced referees on the domestic scene that is cause for concern given that the duo have been officiating games since the season started.
Chafa and Mukucha had made it on the 2011 Fifa panel that also includes Ruzive Ruzive, Norman Matemera Bongani Gadzikwa, Abraham Manda, Tapfumaneyi Mtengwa and Alfred Zindove.
Pamela Chiwaya, Kuda Majo, Stella Ruvinga and Rudo Nanhanga constitute the female referees on the panel.
It has, however, emerged that Chafa and Mukucha would have to stop handling matches for the next two months and focus on their fitness before they can be re-admitted onto the Fifa panel.
Mususa said yesterday Fifa had made a new ruling barring referees, who would have failed their fitness tests, from officiating matches until they had been re-tested.
The former Zimbabwe Referee of the Year said Chafa and Mukucha would also have to use personal resources to secure a re-test.
“We will not accept referees who fail fitness tests during the season because it shows that you are cheating. You fitness levels should be high up there.
“Those who fail will now have to wait a minimum of six weeks and by the eighth week they would have to be re-tested and they would have to find out where Tangawarima Company would be. At the moment it looks like they will be in Namibia after eight weeks.
“In the past it was two weeks before one could be re-tested but it was felt that it such a period was not enough for the body to recover.
“Apart from the fitness tests, we have looked at all aspects of refereeing, all the laws of the game, the fouls and offsides, the reckless challenges and how best the referees can help each other as a team.
“They have also been writing tests everyday on different topics related to events on the pitch and what type of sanctions to apply,” Mususa said.
Mususa said they would hold another fitness test for the other 34 PSL referees who are not taking part in the on-going course.
“In two weeks time we will have a fitness test for the remaining PSL referees.
Online Reporter