Kenyan assessors eager for bigger assignments after training

Referees on a training session at the Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret on December 4, 2023. [Stephen Rutto, Standard]

Kenyan referee assessors on Friday said they were ready for bigger assignments when the country hosts the 2027 Afcon.

The assessors said a five-day training staged in Eldoret from Monday to yesterday was part of the steps taken by Fifa and Football Kenya Federation (FKF) to reshape the match assessors in preparation for a number of international matches ahead of the 2027 contest.

The MA training overseen by FIFA Referees Technical Instructor Carlos Henriques in Eldoret attracted tens of referee assessors.

Referee assessor Solomon Kapting’ei said the training of match assessors was halted by Kenya's Fifa suspension last year.

“The training is preparing referees for the 2027 Afcon which Kenya will host,” Kapting’ei said as the MA training came to a close.

He continued: “We are equipped and will be ready to host a successful Afcon tournament in 2017.”

The 2027 contest will be hosted jointly with Uganda and Tanzania under the East Africa Pamoja bid.

Kapting’ei said assessors were equipped with knowledge of the latest Fifa rules’ amendments as well as match analysis.

“This is a good beginning. We have had two MA assessors’ training sessions and we welcome the 2027 bid,” the referee assessor said.

He added that the training would enable the assessors to prepare detailed match reports.

“We are going home richer, having mastered the art of better assessment of referees and matches,” he said.

Confederation of African Football (CAF) instructor Moses Osano said the five-day sessions helped build the capacity of Kenyan assessors in all aspects of football.

Osano expressed optimism that Kenyan referee assessment will be top-notch with sustained training.

“We have done all the aspects of football. We began with referee assessment procedures, tackles, tactical fouls and match management among other technical facets,” Osano said.

The CAF instructor went ahead to say: “I believe the match assessors are now ready to go and manage to implement the skills acquired during the training.”