Sports
CAF Full List: Only 1 Nigerian listed in 63 match officials for 2021 AFCON
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Tuesday released the list of 63 match officials who will officiate at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) slated for Cameroon.
The list consists of 24 referees, 31 assistant referees and eight video assistant referees (VARs) from 36 countries.
Only one of the listed officials was however from Nigeria, Samuel Pwadutakam, and he will work as an assistant referee.
The tournament, which has Nigeria’s Super Eagles as one of the 24 participating teams, will kick off on January 9 and end on February 6.
The opening match is between hosts Cameroon and Burkina Faso at the Olembe Stadium in Yaounde.
Speaking on the list of match officials, CAF’s Director of Refereeing, Eddy Maillet said: “The match officials were selected based on their experience, skills and current form.”
He disclosed that in recent months, the officials were subjected to several aptitude tests through preparation courses and real competitive matches.
“This is because only the best will officiate at this extraordinary event.”
The CAF official added that the list of officials has two referees from the CONCACAF, the football governing body of North and Central Americas and the Caribbean.
“It is part of our inter-confederation skills exchange programme,” he stated.
NAN reports that the woman referee quartet of Salima Mukasanga (Rwanda), Carine Atemzabong (Cameroon), Fatiha Jermoumi (Morocco) and Bouchra Karboubi (Morocco) is on the list.
They were at the 2019 Under-17 AFCON and the 2020 African Nations Championship (CHAN).
All the selected match officials will complete their final preparations in Cameroon the week before the opening game.
They will be closely monitored before and during the competition by a team of technical specialists and instructors.
THE FULL LIST OF MATCH OFFICIALS
REFEREES
Name Country Mustapha Ghorbal Algeria Helder Martins De Carvalho Angola Joshua Bondo Botswana Pacifique Ndabihawenimana Burundi Blaise Yuven Ngwa Cameroon Jean Jacques Ndala Ngambo DR Congo Amin Mohamed Amin Omar Egypt Mahmoud El Bana Zakaria Moustafa Egypt Bamlak Tessema Ethiopia Gassama Bakary Papa Gambia Daniel Nii Laryea Ghana Mario Escobar Guatemala Peter Waweru Kamaku Kenya Boubou Traore Mali Dahane Beida Mauritania Ahmad Imtehaz Heeralall Mauritius Jiyed Redouane Morocco Salima Mukansanga Rwanda Maguette Ndiaye Senegal Issa Sy Senegal Bernard Camille Seychelles Victor Miguel De Freitas Gomes South Africa Sadok Selmi Tunisia Janny Sikazwe Zambia
ASSISTANT REFEREES
Name Country Etchiali Abdelhak Algeria Mokrane Gourari Algeria Jerson Emiliano Dos Santos Angola Seydou Tiama Burkina Faso Elvis Guy Noupue Nguengoue Cameroon Atezambong Fomo Carine Cameroon Soulaiman Almaldine Comoros Liban Abdourazak Ahmed Djibouti Oliver Safari Kabene DR Congo Mahmoud Ahmed Kamel Abouelregal Egypt Hossam Ahmed Taha Ibrahim Egypt Sidibe Sidiki Guinea Gilbert Cheriyot Kenya Souru Phatsoane Lesotho Attia M. Essa Amsaaed Libya Lionel Hasinjaosoa Andriananteain Madagascar Azgaou Lahcen Morocco Akerkad Mustapha Morocco Jermoumi Fatiha Morocco Zakaria Brinsi Morocco Arsenio Maringula Mozambique Mahamadou Yahaya Niger Samuel Pwadutakam Nigeria El Hadji Malick Samba Senegal Djibril Camara Senegal James Fredrick Emile Seychelles Zakhele Thusi Granville Siwela South Africa Ibrahim Abdalla Mohammed Sudan Issa Yaya Chad Hassani Khalil Tunisia Dick Okello Uganda
VAR REFEREES
| Name | Country |
|---|---|
| Lahlou Benbraham | Algeria |
| Abid Charef Mehdi | Algeria |
| Mahmoud Mohamed Ashour | Egypt |
| Fernando Guerrero | Mexico |
| Adil Zourak | Morocco |
| Bouchra Karboubi | Morocco |
| Samir Guezzaz | Morocco |
| Haythem Guirat | Tunisia |
