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Ahmad Ahmad

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
RECENTLY elected Caf president Ahmad Ahmad has warned referees against breach of the ethics and said any referee found on the wrong side of the law will be shown a straight red card other than a mere warning.

The tough talking continental football boss said the sanctions will also fall heavily on those charged with monitoring the referees’ performances as the new leadership seeks to clean the game of bad apples.

Speaking during the Caf Elite referees course that ended in Botswana early this week, Ahmad said efforts were also underway to have the confederation taking care of referees’ fees for Caf matches instead of the present scenario where the host association pays the bill.

“My presence among you today is an opportunity to formulate a verbal warning to all the referees and those in charge of their monitoring. I tend not to make use of the yellow card by forgetting it voluntarily in the dressing room. Any ethics breach, once proven, will be sanctioned with a direct red card, without prejudice to additional sanctions.

“I invite those in charge of evaluation and monitoring referees to follow this path. We are confident in the fact that we have appointed the right persons for the job. I would like to remind them that corporate solidarity in mistakes is detrimental to African football. Your silence or the absence of sanctions will make you accomplices. We will not hesitate to take our responsibilities, if you fail to take yours.  A new era is opening for African football. Together we must work to materialise it. Transparency occupies a central place in it as I never ceased to recall it long before my election.  The conduct of the referees, on and off the pitch, and the decisions they make must remain faultless. This will be their decisive contribution to the realization of the programme on which I was elected,” said Ahmad.

He also hailed those selected for the course saying they were now part of the elite class of referees in the world.

“The Fifa badge, which you now have the honour to put on your jersey, is an invitation to do more and better. You will now be flag bearers of the African continent the world over. This is an opportunity for me to express my gratitude and that of the Caf executive committee for your decisive contribution to the development of football in Africa.

“I want to encourage you and thank you for all the efforts you make every day to be better. I urge you to continue in this direction and recommend to the Referees Committee to give priority to one thing in selection which is merit. If the best ones are those selected and designated, logically the performances are due to improve and mistakes reduced.   I can assure you that we will spare no means to accompany you in this quest for excellence. A brainstorming is going on about the possibility of having your allowances, during Caf matches, paid directly by the confederation and not the host federation. Nothing has been finalised but we try to have as much people as possible involved in that brainstorming to come out with the best option.

“Our aim is to put the referees in the best possible conditions, because we know how hard and crucial their mission is,” said the Caf president whose campaign manager during the run up to the elections was Zifa president Philip Chiyangwa.

Ahmad noted that referees’ decisions, often taken with a very short period of reflection, have an impact and consequences that can sometimes go beyond the sphere of football.
— @skhumoyo2000.