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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter

ZIFA executive committee member and Zifa Referees Committee (ZRC) chairman Bryton Malandule and referees committee member Brighton Mudzamiri have been appointed Caf commissioners for the next two years.

Malandule and Mudzamiri, who are former Zifa and Fifa panel referees, will be replacing the duo of distinguished former referees Gladmore Muzambi and Wilfred Mukuna.

There was no change in the women’s commissioners pool, with Sabelo Maphosa and Rusina Majo keeping their positions on the panel.

Each of the 56 Caf members provided two male commissioners, while all, but three member associations, Somalia, Libya and Reunion, did not second any women commissioners. Angola, Comoros and Egypt fielded one each.

National associations send their nominations to Caf for consideration and the continental football governing body makes its pick.

Match commissioners are required to have a sound knowledge of the laws of the game as well as the rules governing any competition that they will superintend. 

They are also expected to be men and women of good moral standing that will be able to protect the integrity of the game and are not susceptible to the vices of match fixing.

In 2018, Fifa panel referee Norman Matemera reportedly rejected and reported a US$10 000 attempted bribe by Equatorial Guinea outfit Desportivo Niefang to influence the result of their decisive Caf Confederation Cup play-off tie against Williamsville Athletic Club from Cote d’Ivoire.

Desportivo Niefang officials, working in cahoots with Togolose match commissioner Lawson Mahuwe as their emissary, tried to offer Matemera and his assistants Brighton Nyika, Salani Ncube and Pilan Ncube a cash bribe of US$10 000 to ensure the Equatorial Guinea side won the match to advance to the group stage of the competition.