Mikia Kalati
THE Lesotho Football Association (LeFA) referees committee recently held a one-day workshop to equip match assessors with the new changes to the laws of the game.
According to the association’s public relations officer, Maponyane Letsie, the workshop was held in preparation for the new season. The latest workshop was held after a similar forum for referees and assistant referees at the end of June 2018.
FIFA recently made 14 changes to the laws of the game that will be effected in the new season.
“There are several changes to the laws and we had to ensure that the match assessors are up to speed before the new season,” Letsie said.
“We started by updating the referees on the amendments that have been made by FIFA and are effective from July 2018.”
Letsie said it was important to have a common understanding and also to understand the interpretation of the new laws.
He also said they faced several challenges after the introduction of the Econet Premier League awards where referees like outstanding players are also rewarded monthly.
The first workshop for referees was attended by 38 participants with 32 of them being males and six females while the second workshop for match assessors was attended by 20 participants.
“It has also been challenging after the introduction of the monthly awards and the reporting was not up to standard. The assessors are expected to give marks for the performance of the referees after matches.
“That is why it was crucial for them to be on the same page in terms of how they write the reports. The marks are important in the selection of outstanding referees and we needed to ensure it is done properly.
“We are happy with the attendance of the two workshops,” he said.
Meanwhile, two of the countries referees Retšelisitse Molise and Mapoho Mapoho will officiate at the COSAFA Cup under-17 tournament in Mauritius that starts today.
Assistant referees Souru Phatšoane and Mohau Sentšo will also be in action in continental assignments in the CAF Champions League matches next week.
Sentšo will be the match commissioner when South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns host AS Togo-Port while Phatšoane will an assistant referee in the Wydad Casablanca v Horoya FC (Guinea) game in Morocco.
