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Raymond Jaravaza, Online Writer

FOR the umpteenth time, local referees have been snubbed from the list of officials for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) released a list of  match officials that will take part in a preparation course ahead of the continental tournament.

Thirty two referees, 33 assistant referees, and four VAR – video assistant referees – were named by CAF.

In a show of no faith in the current crop of Zimbabwean referees, CAF named retired referee Felix Tangawarima in a six-member panel of technical and physical instructors.

Local referees have been hogging the limelight for the wrong reasons over the years as a result of the continuously deteriorating standards of officiating.

Pitch invasions by fans aggrieved by what they term biased refereeing are not uncommon in the Premier Soccer League.

Just this last Sunday, Highlanders fans stormed the pitch at Barbourfields Stadium in retaliation to a series of decisions by referees Allan Bhasvi, allegedly against their team.

Scaling the perimeter fence – by no means a justifiable course of action by fans – and storming the pitch, will not come to an end any time soon, as long as undeserving and unqualified referees are assigned matches in exchange for kickbacks, as alleged by some in the refereeing fraternity.