Fifa referee Grace Msiska breathed a sigh of relief when, despite failing a fitness test at Kamuzu Stadium on Sunday, she was allowed to leave on Wednesday for Madagascar on international duty.
National physical fitness instructor Moffat Champiti, who conducted the tests alongside Bester Kalombo and Charles Kafatiya had, in view of the unsuccessful test, earlier said her trip depended on CAF’s decision.
Yesterday, Champiti said Msiska, who dropped out with two laps before finishing 12 laps of the strenuous test, was proceeding to officiate the Madagascar’s All Africa Games qualifying match against Botswana on Sunday.
“There is nothing we have received suggesting that her air ticket has been cancelled, so she is travelling,” said Champiti.
Other referees collapsed in heaps on the sun-baked afternoon during the Southern Region test which registered an estimated 85 percent pass rate.
Madagascar vs Botswana match will be officiated by a trio from Mauritius. Msiska will be a forth official thus why CAF has let her travel despite failing the fitness test. Besides looking at the time flame, If she was removed it was going to be difficult for a replace to fly out to Madagascar from which ever country and still make it for the match on Sunday February 22 as most airlines do not fly to Madagascar on a daily basis.