Pascalinah Kabi
MASERU — Three local referees officiated during a World Cup preliminary round tie between Comoros and Mozambique in Comoros on Friday.
The officials are Mohau Sentšo and his two assistants, David Jane, and Osias Koto.
Mozambique won the match 1-0.
Lesotho Football Association (Lefa) communications officer, Mikea Kalati, told the Sunday Express on Friday that the appointment showed world football governing body, Fifa, had confidence in local referees.
“The three local referees were appointed to handle the game because they are on the Fifa referees’ panel,” Kalati said.
“We are happy that our local referees are getting call-ups because of their hard work.”
Kalati said the three were part of a group of 30 local referees who recently passed fitness tests during a Fifa/Caf course.
He said the three officials were subsequently excused from the programme because of their pending assignment in Comoros.
Meanwhile, Kalati said five referees were disqualified from the Fifa course on Monday after failing fitness tests at Setsoto Stadium.
“The five who did not pass the referees’ fitness tests were disqualified from attending the course on Monday,” Kalati said.
“Referees’ fitness tests are a prerequisite for any Fifa/Caf refereeing course and they knew that failure to pass the tests meant going home for them,” he said.
Kalati was however not in a position to disclose the names of the five referees who failed the tests.
He however expressed satisfaction with the pass rate.
“Out of the 30 referees who attended the fitness tests, 25 of them passed and that is a good sign and an achievement on their (referees) side,” he said.
The course started on Monday and ended on Friday.
It was conducted by Fifa refereeing instructor Felix Tangawarima from Zimbabwe and Fifa development officer Carlos Henriqves from South Africa.
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