Nigerian referees snubbed as CAF lists 70 match officials for CHAN

By Olaolu Joseph –

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Thursday released the list of match officials who will take charge of matches at the African Nations Championship (CHAN) to be staged in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.

In what could be described as a setback for Nigeria, the football governing body listed 70 match officials for the championship, with no Nigerian referee included.

The CHAN tourney, organized mainly for players plying their trade in the continent’s domestic leagues, is billed to hold from August 2 to 30 in the three East African countries.

The 70-man list includes 26 referees, 26 assistant referees, and 18 Video Match Officials (VMOs) drawn from over 30 CAF member associations across Africa.

Expectedly, the development has elicited reactions from football stakeholders in Nigeria, who believe the situation calls for serious concern and should, as such, be addressed.

Here is the full list of officials named by CAF:

Referees:

1. Adissa Abdoul Raphiou Ligali (Benin)
2. Messie Jessie Oved Nouvolou (Congo)
3. Kpan Clement Franklin (Côte d’Ivoire)
4. Malala Kabanga Yannick (DR Congo)
5. Ahmed Nagy Mosa Mahmoud (Egypt)
6. Tsegay Teklu Mogos (Eritrea)
7. Jammeh Lamin N. (Gambia)
8. Nyaruwoa Dickens Mimisa (Kenya)
9. Ahmed Abdulrazag (Libya)
10. Diakhate Ousmane (Mali)
11. Milazae Patrice (Mauritius)
12. Loutfi Bekkouassa (Algeria)
13. Diouf Adalbert (Senegal)
14. Jelly Alfred Chavani (South Africa)
15. Ahmed Arjaiga (Tanzania)
16. Aklesso Gnana (Togo)
17. Melki Mehrez (Tunisia)
18. Lucky Razake Kasalirwe (Uganda)
19. Vincent Kabore (Burkina Faso)
20. Brahamou Sadou Ali (Niger)
21. Brighton Chimene (Zimbabwe)
22. Mefire Abdou Abdel (Cameroon)
23. Bouchra Karboubi (Morocco)
24. Shamirah Nabadda (Uganda)
25. Kech Chaf Mustapha (Morocco)
26. Houssam Benyahya (Algeria)

Assistant Referees:

1. Ngila Guilain Bongele (DR Congo)
2. Lucky Kegakologetse (Botswana)
3. Sanou Habib Judicael Oumar (Burkina Faso)
4. Emery Niyongabo (Burundi)
5. Rodrigue Menye Mpele (Cameroon)
6. Almadine Soulaimane (Comoros)
7. Jaoa Salim (Benin)
8. Fasika Biru Yehualashet (Ethiopia)
9. Jawo Abdul Aziz (Gambia)
10. Addy Roland Nii Dodoo (Ghana)
11. Mwangi Samuel Kuria (Kenya)
12. Joel Wonka Doe (Liberia)
13. Nassiri Hamza (Morocco)
14. Yacouba Abdoul Aziz (Niger)
15. Dieudonne Mutuyimana (Rwanda)
16. Omer Hamid Mohammed Ahmed (Sudan)
17. Wael Hanachi (Tunisia)
18. Ronald Katenya (Uganda)
19. Eleyeh Robleh (Djibouti)
20. Ettien Eba Medard (Côte d’Ivoire)
21. Abegino Ndong Amos (Gabon)
22. Sirak Samuel (Eritrea)
23. Ally Hamdani Said (Tanzania)
24. Malondi Chanyi (Congo)
25. Adel Abane (Algeria)
26. Diana Chikotesha (Zambia)

Video Match Officials (VMOs):

1. Mahmoud Ashour (Egypt)
2. Dahane Beida (Mauritania)
3. Lahlou Benbraham (Algeria)
4. Bamlak Tessema Weyesa (Ethiopia)
5. Samir Guezzaz (Morocco)
6. Hamza El Fariq (Morocco)
7. Issa Sy (Senegal)
8. Atcho Pierre Ghislain (Gabon)
9. Daniel Laryea (Ghana)
10. Abongile Tom (South Africa)
11. Yasir Abdallaazi (Sudan)
12. Viana Letticia (Eswatini)
13. Georges Ateme (Cameroon)
14. Omar Abdulkadir Artan (Somalia)
15. Ibrahim Kalilou Traore (Côte d’Ivoire)
16. El Hassan Ahmed (Mauritania)
17. Zohra Akharraz (Morocco)
18. Blaise Siffa (Central African Republic)