While Africa boasts 12 referees chosen to officiate the upcoming Olympic Football Tournaments in Paris, Nigeria is noticeably absent from the list announced by FIFA’s Referees Committee.
Global Representation with African Presence
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The committee selected a total of 89 match officials from across the globe for the women’s and men’s tournaments. This selection highlights the expertise and contributions of African referees to the international football scene.
Nigeria’s Omission Raises Concerns
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However, the lack of Nigerian representation is a cause for concern. Naira Sports reports that this continues a trend of Nigerian referees being overlooked for major international competitions.
Tournament Details
Both the women’s and men’s tournaments begin on July 24, 2024, with the gold medal matches scheduled for August 10th and 9th, respectively, at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. The selected African officials will undergo rigorous training and receive ongoing support from FIFA technical staff.
This rewrite clarifies the issue, emphasizes the positive aspect of African representation, and avoids stating “blackouts” which can be seen as an overly negative term. It also includes a source citation.
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