Carlsberg Cup final refs identity under wraps
National Football Referees Association (NFRA) has promised fair and competent officiation of the Carlsberg Cup final between Be Forward Wanderers and Nyasa Big Bullets this Saturday at Bingu National Stadium (BNS).
However, the association has kept the identity of the referees under wraps.
NFRA general secretary Chris Kalichero said his association has assigned competent referees for the crunch cup final.
He said: “As the body responsible for the referees we promise that the referees who will officiate the match will do a good job. But we cannot disclose their names today as that can compromise their job because some people have ill motives.”
Though elsewhere match officials are revealed way before a game, in Malawi, the referees identities are only revealed on the day of the match.
Kalichero said that is the case because when names are known, some people take advantage to either threaten or entice the referee to take bribes to influence the result.
Meanwhile, Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has pleaded with supporters to maintain discipline.
“We would like to encourage the supporters of the two teams to ensure they remain disciplined and peaceful as they joyfully rally their support to their beloved teams. We have collaborated with the police to ensure that security before, during and after the match is tightened up and that the 2017 Carlsberg Cup final match goes down in history as the best ever, without violence or any unnecessary injuries,” said FAM commercial and marketing director Limbani Matola.
Wanderers are defending champions. n
