The proverb “Better late than never“ is often used when one is seemingly appreciative of the completion of a task, even when it looks overdue and all hope under the circumstances has been lost.
The notion of despair was indeed synonymous with women football in Africa-so much so that the beautiful game’s fanatics on the continent had given up on ever seeing a comprehensive female inter club competition.
It was therefore not a surprise that the news of the introduction of the CAF Women Champions League mid last year was welcomed with open arms.
For those that had waited and closed their ears to unclear criticism towards the format, prize money, qualification strategy among others.
Despite having already registered the eight teams for the tournament, the continental governing body CAF seems destined to make the tournament devoid of any officiation controversies that usually suffocate regional competitions in Africa.
In November, a total of 39 female referees, twenty centres and nineteen assistants will undergo a preparatory course in the host country Egypt.
The course which will run for four days (November 1-5, 2021) is geared towards teaching the continent’s very best officials about the more vulnerabilities that come as a result of their job and how to best handle them, keeping up with the modern trends of officiation and so forth.
The course will also have CAF representatives from Egypt including Eddy Maillet, Wael El Sabaie and Angi Yara Abdelsamia. These will foresee the entire programme.
Forming the list of instructors and board members is Tempa Ndah Francois (Benin), Jerome K. Damon (South Africa), Malang Diedhiou (Senegal), Ananh Jeanne Ayemou (Côte d’Ivoire) Marwa Hannachi (Tunisia), Gladys Lengwe (Zambia) and AnYan Lim Kee Chung (Mauritius).
Meanwhile, the litany is littered with African elite referees headlined by Ethiopian Lidya Tafese Abebe, Ndidi Patience from Nigeria, and many other top referee names on the continent.
Ugandan centre referee Nabadda Shamira will however be the only one from the pearl of Africa to attend what promises to be a career growing initiative.
This course in particular will be her fourth in officiation having attended one in Egypt already, another in Gabon and of course one in the motherland Uganda.
Assistant referee Mary Njoroge from East African neighbours Kenya also makes the list for the course that will run on two sessions strategy-in the morning and the evening.
Full list of attendants
Centre Referees
Shahenda Saad Ali Elmaghrabi (Egypt)
Zomadre Sonia Kone (Côte d’Ivoire)
Akona Zenith Makalima (South Africa)
Shanggula Vistoria Nuusiku (Namibia)
Ganouati Dorsaf (Tunisia).Appiah Juliet (Ghana)
Suaris Iratunga (Burundi)
Karboubi Bouchra (Morocco)
Salma Mukansanga (Rwanda)
Shamira Nabadda (Uganda)
Rosalie Rosalie (Madagascar)
Lidya Tafesse Abebe (Ethiopia)
Aissata Boudy Lam (Mauritania)
Viana Letticia (Eswatini)
Amedome Vincentia Enyonam (Togo)
Maria Packuita Cynquela Rivet (Mauritius)
Mame Coumba Faye (Senegal)
Florentina Zabron Chief (Tanzania)
Madu Ndidi Patience (Nigeria)
Aurore Christelle M.Ligan (Benin)
Assistant Referees
Fanta Idrissa Kone (Mali)
Mona Mahmoud Atallah Mostafa (Egypt)
Mimisen Agatha Iyorhe (Nigeria)
Jermoumi Fatiha (Morocco)
Meriem Chedad (Mauritania)
Kanjinga Mireille Mujianayi (DR. Congo)
Rakotoza Finoro Lidwine Pelagie (Madagascar
Chikotesha Diana (Zambia)
Atef Said Abdelfattah Yara (Egypt)
Ta Lou Djenan Prisca (Cote d’Ivoire)
Afine Houda (Tunisia)
Njoroge Mary (Kenya)
Adia Isseu Cisse (Senegal)
Mloyi Faith (Zimbabwe)
Yekini Shitou Natissatou (Benin)
Jane Cherono (Kenya)
Kwimbira Bernadettar (Malawi)
Queency Victoire (Mauritius)
Atezambong Fomo Carine (Cameroon)