South African referee, Victor Gomes’ name has been omitted from a list of officials who will be part of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations final between Algeria and Senegal on Friday night despite earlier confirmation that he would handle the match as the centre arbiter, Completesports.com reports.
On Wednesday, Caf announced on their social media platforms that Gomes will be the man in the middle for the biggest football match on the continent.
The South African Football Association (Safa) also congratulated the referee on his appointment following that Wednesday’s announcement.
However, things changed when the football body released the full list of the officials who will be responsible for the encounter at the Cairo International Stadium.
According to reports, Caf made a mistake by prematurely announcing Gomes as the match referee for the final.
Instead, Cameroonian referee Alioum Alioum with two of his assistant referees in Evarist Menkouande and Elvis Nguegoue – also coming from Cameroon – will handle the Africa’s biggest match.
Despite Gomes’ controversial exclusion, South Africa will have at least two representatives in the AFCON 2019 final.
Efraim Benjamin Kramer will head the doping control for the match, while assistant referee Zakhele Siwela has been appointed as the third assistant referee for the final in Cairo.
It is unclear at this stage whether Caf has apologised to either Gomes or Safa for the wrong communication regarding the referee’s false appointment.
By Adeboye Amosu in Cairo
1 Comment
CAF……an epitome of incompetence..!
Yet some people will tell us the white man is the problem of the black man.