MASERU — Premier league matches will go ahead as scheduled this weekend in spite of the burial of a top referees’ instructor.
Vincent Ratšiu, a Lesotho Football Association (Lefa) referees’ instructor and assessor, died last Monday at his home in Teyateyaneng after a long illness.
He was 69.
He will be buried in Teyateyaneng on Saturday.
Premier league chairperson Tlholo Letete told the Lesotho Times on Tuesday that the matches between Lesotho Correctional Service (LCS) and Joy and Mphatlalatsane versus Lioli will go ahead as planned.
“The matches will go ahead as planned and will not be affected by his (Ratšiu) burial,” Letete said.
He however added that a delegation from the premier league will attend the funeral service.
“The premier league management committee will send a delegation to attend his funeral service,” Letete said.
Ratšiu — affectionately known as Ellerines — was a well known no-nonsense referee between 1970 and the early 1980s.
During his refereeing years, Ratšiu was on the Fifa refereeing panel and officiated high profile matches in Zambia and Malawi.
After his retirement he became a Caf match commissioner and officiated matches in countries such as Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia.
As a Fifa and Lefa referees’ instructor and assessor, Ratšiu’s last assignment was last year when he conducted Level One coaching clinics for coaches in Mokhotlong, Qacha’s Nek, Leribe and Thaba-Tseka.