FIFA has selected four referees from the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) to serve as officials for the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.
The 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, encompassing 32 sporting disciplines including football, are scheduled to be held in France from July 26th to August 11th.
The referees chosen from the CECAFA Zone include Ismail Mohmood Ali (Sudan), Ahmed Liban Abdoulrazack (Djibouti), Stephen Yiembe (Kenya), and female referee Shamira Nabadda from Uganda.
This signifies Yiembe’s second significant tournament this year, following his debut at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations held in the Ivory Coast.
FIFA has designated a total of 21 referees, 42 assistants, 20 video match officials, and 6 support staff members to oversee both the men’s and women’s categories. Among these officials, ten are from Africa, appointed by FIFA.
In the men’s category, Egypt and Mali secured their spots to represent Africa, while in the women’s category, Nigeria faces South Africa and Zambia competes against Morocco to determine the two qualifying teams. Canada holds the title of defending champions in the women’s division, while Brazil, the two-time defending champions in the men’s division, failed to qualify.
The men’s tournament is a U-23 competition, but each squad is allowed three players over the age of 23 to participate for their respective nations. In contrast, the women’s category permits players of all ages to compete.