Rwanda’s women referee Salma Rhadia Mukasanga is one step closer to refereeing on football’s biggest stage with selection on the FIFA 2019 Women’s World Cup Candidates Program for prospective Match Officials.
Mukasanga is one of the only six center referees selected from the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
In the appointment letter sent to Rwanda Football Federation on Thursday, the World Football body, FIFA’s Head of Refereeing Massimo Busacca said, “This is an exceptional honor as only 45 Referees and 88 Assistant Referees have been selected as candidates from over 750+ women FIFA referees/assistant referees worldwide,”
“Our goal at FIFA is to select the world’s best match officials, for the world’s best competitions – the FIFA World Cup(s),” added Busacca.
The aim of the program is to prepare prospective FIFA World Cup referees through fitness monitoring, psychological analysis of game demeanor, and testing of the FIFA Laws of the Game.
FIFA has launched a three-year plan for development and monitoring of the Women’s World Cup candidates over the next 3 years in order to achieve their shared goals. Only a limited number of match officials will be selected to officiate in the Women’s World Cup, and selection will be based 100% on performance.
The candidates program starts this year with a FIFA seminar due in Portugal in February for all the candidate referees and this will be followed by the Algarve Cup for 12 referees & 24 assistant referees.
FIFA will also be sending staff to Confederation/MA seminars and tournaments to observe the candidates progress
In 2018, based on results from 2017, FIFA will host a seminar in Portugal for the candidate referees, followed by the Algarve Cup. Candidates will also attend FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Uruguay 2018 and FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup France 2018.
FIFA will also observe the candidates progress in the Confederation and MA Seminars & tournaments.
In 2019, based on results from 2018, FIFA will host a seminar in Portugal for the remaining candidate referees, followed by the Algarve Cup.
Then the selected officials for the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019 will then be sent to Zurich for final preparations from where only the best Referees and Assistant Referees will be selected for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in France 2019.
Mukasanga began her refereeing career in 2007 before becoming an international referee in 2012. Since then, she has officiated at major tournaments, including Africa U-17 and U-20 finals as well as senior World Cup preliminary games, 2015 All African Games, 2015 CECAFA women challenge that took place in Jinja, Uganda and most recently, the CAF Women’s championship held in Cameroon last year.
Other African candidate referees picked include Tanzania’s Jonesia Kabakama, Zambia’s Lengwe Gladys, Cameroonian Neguel Therese, Ethiopian Tafesse Ledya and Senegalese Thioune Fatou respectively.
Nine assistant referees candidates from Africa were also picked as candidates for the 2019 FIFA Women World Cup and they include; Akou Kossonoux Denis (Cote d’Ivoire), Kone Fanta Idrissa (Mali), Kwimbira Bernadettar (Malawi), Mbakop Josiane (Cameroon), Mosimanewatwala Botsalo (Botswana), Njoroge Mary (Kenya), Oulhaj Souad (Morocco), Rakotozafinoro Lidwine (Madagascar) and Some Bielignin (Burkina Faso).
Source: Ferwafa.rw