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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter

BULAWAYO-based female referee, Blessing Mpande, failed the rigorous fitness test in the elite one-week referees’ course that was conducted by Fifa instructors Felix Tangawarima and Gregory Krzosek from Poland, who is also a fitness expert.

The course, that attracted 35 top referees was held at Elangeni Training Centre in Bulawayo and is a mandatory course for referees to undergo before nominations for the next batch of Fifa referees is announced.

Other referees that fell by the wayside include Hardley Ndazi, Tinashe Marange and the Fifa panel listed, Pilan Ncube.

Mpande, who had been handling matches almost on a weekly basis, will now have to wait for six weeks on the sidelines before undergoing the same test. In the meantime, she will not officiate any games.

“We were surprised when we read about the other three referees who failed the test, but didn’t see Mpande’s name. 

“Maybe the officials wanted to shield her from publicity since she seems to be a favourite with some of them. 

“She is a good referee, young and promising, and I’m sure her failure embarrassed the officials,” said an official.

The Zifa Referees’ Committee has adopted a deliberate policy of promoting female referees in the country and they have largely done well, as matches they handle hardly have any controversies.