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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter

ZIFA is in negotiations with a local mobile network operator to sponsor payment of Premier Soccer league referees. Sources revealed that the deal is worth about $2 million. It is being negotiated just after Zifa announced an increase in referees’ fees with effect from October 1 that will see the centre official getting $700, up from $270, while the two assistants as well as the fourth official will now pocket $600, up from $240. The match commissioner will get $700.

“It has been realised that clubs are reeling from serious financial challenges and one of the best ways to remove that burden is to wean referees from clubs’ responsibilities. 

“It’s now the trend in most leagues in the world that have transformed refereeing into a profession. “This business of clubs being directly responsible for referees’ fees should be a thing of the past and Zifa must really be commended for their positive thinking,” said the source.

A number of clubs yesterday expressed shock over the new fees’ structure announced by Zifa which will see a club forking out $3 200 in officials’ fees per match.

Meanwhile, Fifa has set October 1 as the deadline for national associations to submit names of prospective referees to be considered for the 2020 Fifa Refereeing International List.

“The proposed referees shall be at least 25 years old (23-years-old in the case of assistant referees) on 1 January of the year for which they have been nominated.

Referees must be born no later than 31.12.1994 and assistant referees must be born no later than 31.12.1996 in order to ensure a minimum level of experience. 

“Fifa reserves the right to require referees over the age of 45 (born in 1975 or before) to undergo additional technical assessments as well as specific medical examinations and fitness testing on a case-by-case basis. 

“Each candidate must be ranked based on the marks obtained for officiating games at the national level during the 12 months prior to being nominated to the list of international referees. 

“Minimally, all nominated referees must pass a Fifa-approved fitness test and a medical examination on or after 2 June 2019,” wrote Mattias Grafström, acting Fifa deputy secretary-general (football), in a circular addressed all national associations.

Zimbabwe conducted its Fifa-approved fitness test at Elangeni Training Centre in Bulawayo last week that saw five referees, Pilan Ncube, Hadley Ndazi, Tinashe Marange, Blessing Mpande and Mandlenkosi Sibanda falling by the wayside.

Mpande and Sibanda had been omitted from the list of referees that failed the fitness assessment and this was only revealed after Chronicle Sport inquired about each of the 35 match officials that underwent the trial. The elite Referees’ Course was conducted by Fifa instructors Felix Tangawarima and Gregory Krzosek, a Poland fitness expert. 

The five will now not be eligible to officiate any games until they undergo the physical test again after six weeks, which automatically rules them out of consideration for the Fifa International List.