September 8, 2021
By: Mohamed Abu Conteh
The Western Area Referees Association (WARA) has on the 4th September, 2021 held it fitness exams for FIFA and Elite Referees across the Country.
According to the WARA chairman, Mohamed Bowen Freeman the fitness test is a national test for all elite Referees across the Country and it is obligatory that they should go through a fitness test to know their level of performance.
He added that those FIFA Referees who miss out the fitness test has another window of oppoprtunity within two weeks to go through another fitness test, but if anybody failed again then that individual has him or herself to blame.
“If anybody failed to do the right thing and failed to do the FIFA fitness test that individual is not going to be approved by FIFA,”Mr Bowen said.
He added that the regulations of FIFA said all Referees who have their badges must pass the fitness test, medical test and theoretical test.
The Western Area Referees Association can only nominate a Referees who has pas the fitness test, if that failed then the individual is not going to be approved by FIFA.
He furthered that the link for the submission of all the Referees fitness test reports he has received it three days ago and have to submit it to the General Secretary of the Sierra Leone Football Association Christopher Kamara to in turn submit it to the Committee members for final assessment before doing the final submission to FIFA that have the right to do final approval.
He added that another essences of the fitness test is to also prepared the Referees ahead of the resumption of the Sierra Leone Premier league, but there is going to be a bench mark only those who past the fitness test are going to be allowed to officially handle matches in the Premier league, because they don’t want to see poor officiating in matches in the Premier league but rather they want to see classic officiating in all matches in all levels across the Country.
They are encouraging more women to join refereeing as currently they have two women who have joined and have passed their fitness test.
The Referees manager called on the Public to trust them as their aim is to transform Refereeing in the Country.