The CAF GIFT U17 tournament exalts the dynamism and youth of the referees; The complete list

HIBAPRESS-RABAT-CAF

The CAF U17 Girls Integrated Football Tournament (GIFT), currently underway in Tanzania, features a remarkable selection of referees, demonstrating the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) unwavering commitment to training and development. raising the standards of match officials.

This competition highlights not only the impressive youth of female referees, but also CAF’s persistent efforts to set global standards of excellence in refereeing in Africa.

Seventeen young women were selected to participate in this regional pilot project, intended to evolve into a premier competition in the years to come, as participation and prestige of this tournament continues to grow. These referees, whose average age is 25.6 years, come from nine countries: Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Sudan.

Raul Chipenda, CAF technical development director, expressed his immense satisfaction with the quality of refereeing observed during the matches.
He declared:

“We are deeply proud of the performance and professionalism of our young female referees at the CAF GIFT U17 tournament. Their maturity and mastery demonstrate the considerable progress made through our refereeing development programs. I would particularly like to salute the Head of Professional Refereeing and Football Technology, whose commitment and leadership were instrumental in this success. This tournament not only provides a showcase for the talent of these young women, but also sets a new standard for the future of African refereeing.”

Wednesday was highlighted by the remarkable performance of one of the youngest referees in the tournament. At only 20 years old, the Ethiopian Yordanos Mulugeta Shibre led the meeting between the TDS Girls Academy and the Boni Consilli Girls Vocational Team (2-0) with exemplary confidence. For her very first match on the international scene, she demonstrated impressive maturity and composure. This promising start suggests a bright future for this young referee with obvious talent.

The CAF refereeing department has played a fundamental role in this evolution, providing rigorous training and opportunities for continued development. The particularly low average age of these referees reflects the emergence of a new generation of officials, trained in the most advanced techniques and standards. This youth constitutes a major asset, bringing dynamism and adaptability to refereeing, essential in the demanding context of contemporary football.

The CAF GIFT U17 tournament, organized in Tanzania, goes far beyond the framework of a simple competition. It stands out as a powerful testimony to the efforts made by CAF to promote promising young talents and guarantee the integrity of the game. These referees, through their impeccable technicality and their youthful energy, redefine the criteria of excellence, while ensuring that the future of arbitration in Africa rests in expert hands.

Here is the list of referees: