The South Africa Football Association (SAFA), with the aim to clamp down on mistakes, improve and monitor referees’ performances, has brought back old guards – Jerome Damon, Victor Gomes and Abdul Ebrahim to be the match commissioners, iDiski Times has learnt.
Damon and Ebrahim have not been involved in such roles for some time as they occupy high positions at the association, such as the referee committee and head of refereeing.
Gomes, who made history last year to officiate the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final in Cameroon to become the first official in Mzansi to blow the whistle in such a big game, is now SAFA chairman of referees.
The former no–nonsense referee, who retired after the conclusion of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar last year, is set to be match commissioner for some time “to help the referees get their acts together”.
“We want to address the issue of refereeing because it is a huge talking point,” said the source.
“Players make mistakes and miss open goals, but when it is the referee, it becomes a big issue, and coaches very often don’t look at those incidents [players missing chances].
“They look at one incident the referee has made which cost them the game but they don’t look at chances their players have missed. Sadly referees will always become scapegoats.”
With three to four games in the DStv Premiership played by clubs, there is already one incident that was decisive midweek where referee Siyabonga Nkomo and his second assistant Thamanga Sebati made the wrong call to allow a goal to stand between Sekhukhune United and Moroka Swallows at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Wednesday.
Gabadinho Mhango, who was attempting to challenge the ball in the air, appeared to have pushed Badra Sangare in goals in the last minute of added time and Nkomo and Sebati decided that it was a goal and the push was not strong, much to the fury of Sekhukhune, who felt Sangare was clearly pushed.
SAFA, having taken the matter into its body – the review committee – which watched the replay and the whole performance on Thursday, decided to suspend referees “for four to eight weeks”, including rehabilitation.
They will return once they have served this ban and also impress the referee committee team, as they will be officiating in the lower levels of SAFA such as ABC Motsepe and SAB Leagues.
Ebrahim has already been deployed by SAFA and he was the match commissioner between Royal AM and Stellenbosch FC at Harry Gwala Stadium on Friday, while Gomes is away on the FIFA course in Mauritius. Damon was the match commissioner when Cape Town City lost to Kaizer Chiefs in the MTN8 quarterfinal.
