3 Elite Referees Fail Fitness Exercises in Northern Region

Fifa referees Eliza Sichinga, Jonazio Luiz and elite Ella Chikalamba are some of the high ranked referees who failed to make pass the fitness training on Sunday morning at Mzuzu Stadium.

Eliza Sichinga who started on high note failed to make it to the final mark in the final tenth lap with just 3 metres to reach the finishing line.

Another Fifa referee Jonazio Luiz failed to make it the finishing line with elite referee Ella Chikalamba failing mid way.

The National Referees Association conducted first quarter Referees Fitness Exercises in Karonga and Mzuzu where more than 100 referees took part.

65 referees attended the exercise in Mzuzu on Sunday where about 55 passed the exercise while on Saturday 37 took part in Karonga where only 5 failed the test.

Fam Referees Fitness Trainer Moffat Champiti says the number of referees who passed the training is encouraging saying they are ready for the games.

“The pass rate is quite encouraging both in Mzuzu 9 have failed while in Karonga only 5 failed so I can say we are ready for Super League games, though we are disappointed that some elite failed”. said Champiti.

FAM’s Referees Development Officer Fredrick Khoropa said they are encouraged by the growing number of youngsters who took part in the exercise as young as 13 years, he further urged the referees to focus on education for better interpretation of laws of the game.

Referees from Chitipa and Karonga did the exercise at Karonga stadium while those from Rumphi, Mzimba, Mzuzu and Nkhatabay took part in Mzuzu.