MASERU — Four of the country’s top match officials have failed to make it on the FIFA Referees List.
Referees Daniel Letsie and Moeti Mpopo as well as assistant referees Khotso Makhetha and Letuka Sekoati failed a FIFA physical test conducted in Maseru on Friday.
The four will be ineligible for international assignments next year.
However, Lesotho will have six referees on FIFA’s Referees list for 2010.
Lesotho originally had 10 match officials — the country’s quota — on the world governing body’s panel.
The results this time round are a dramatic improvement compared to how local match officials fared at a similar FIFA test in January.
“We want quality not quantity. Our referees have done very well and the FIFA instructors were very impressed,” Baba Malephane, chairman of the Referees Committee, said on Friday.
Lesotho’s FIFA match officials are:
Referees: Paul Phomane, Mohau Sentšo.
Assistant referees: Sekhonyana Seeiso. Tšepo Mokhemisa, Mojalefa Selepe, Moepi Moepi.