FIFA picks Mamelodi-Yanga match referee for Olympic Games in Paris

Mauritanian referee Dahane Beida officiates Mamelodi Sundwons vs Yanga match held at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, South Africa on April 05, 2024. Seena at the back is Yanga's central midfielder Mudathir Yahya. PHOTO | COURTESY

By  Majuto Omary

Sports Reporter Mwananchi Communications Ltd

What you need to know:

• Dahane, aged 32, was recently accused by Young Africans (Yanga) of disallowing their goal in the CAF Champions League quarter-final second leg against Mamelodi Sundowns on April 05, 2024.

Dar es Salaam. Referee Dahane Beida from Mauritania is among the 12 African referees picked by the world football governing body (FIFA) to officiate Olympic matches from July 26 to August 11, this year in France.

Dahane, aged 32, was recently accused by Young Africans (Yanga) of disallowing their goal in the CAF Champions League quarter-final second leg against Mamelodi Sundowns on April 05, 2024.

Yanga filed a complaint against the match result to the African football governing body (CAF) as well as requesting the body to investigate and take action against who disallowed Stephane Azizi KI’s goal in the match that ended in a goalless draw in regulation time before Yanga lost 3-2 on penalties.

However, while Yanga's appeal results are pending, Fifa has appointed Dahane to officiate at the Olympic Games alongside 11 other referees from Africa.

Apart from Dahane, other Africans appointed referees are Karboubi Bouchraw from Morocco, Mahmood Ismail (Sudan), Diana Chkotesha (Zambia), Fatiha Jermoumi (Morocco), Elvis Noupue (Cameroon), Stephen Yiembe (Kenya) and Mahmoud Ashour of Egypt.

Also, on the list are Lahlou Benbraham (Algeria), Ahmed Abdoulrazack (Djibouti), Emiliano Dos Santos (Angola), and Shamirah Nabadda from Uganda.

The 89 referees appointed to officiate at the Games are divided into four groups: central referees, assistant referees, referees for video assistant technology, and support referees.

On the list of central referees are Abatti Ramon, Alves Edina, Al Naqbi Adel, Beida Dahane, Emikar Calderas, Espen Eskas, Yael Falcon, Mahmood Ismail, Drew Fischer, Katia Garcia, Karboubi Bouchra, Campell-Kirk, Yujeong Kim, Francois Letexier, Said Martinez, Glenn Nyberg, Tess Olofsonn, Tori Penso, Ilgiz Tantashev, Rebecca Welch, and Yoshimi Yamashita.

Assistant referees are Ahmed Abdoulrazack, Al-Ali Sabet, Ahmed Alrashadi, Rafael Alves, Lyes, Neuza Back, Michael Barwegen, Isaak Bashevkin, Mahbod Beigi, Fabrini Costa, Mary Blanco, Makoto Bozono, Guillerme Camilo and Emily Carney.

The list of the assistant referees also includes Joanna Charaktis, Diana Chkotesha, Del Yesso Maximiliano, Francesca Di Monte, Karen Diaz, Jan Erik Engan, Timur Gaynullin, Fatiha Jermoumi, Walter Lopez, Mayo Brooke, Cyril Mugnier, Kathryn Nesbitt, Bernard Mutukera, Elvis Noupue, Franca Overtoom, Misuk Park, Mehdi Rahmouni, Christian Ramirez, Sandra Ramirez and Facundo Rodriguez.

Other assistant referees are Migdalia Rodriguez, Emiliano Dos Santos, Andreas Soderkvist, Almira Spahic, Naomi Teshirogi, Isaac Trevis, Andrey Tsapenko, and Kenyan Stephen Yembe.

The VAR referees include Khamis Al Marri, Mahmood Ashour, Ivan Bebek, Lahlou Benbraham, Jerome Brisard, Rodrigo Carvajal, David Coote and Carlos Grande.

The list also includes Rob Dieperink, Leodan Gonzalez, Tatiana Guzman, Hategan Ovidiu, Kate Jacewicz, Katalin Kulcsar, Daiane Muniz, Guillermo Pacheco, Hector Paletta, Daneon Parchment, Sivakorn Pu-Udom, and Paolo Valelo.

Referees for support are Veronika Bernatskaia, Jelena Cvetkovic, Anahi Fernandez, Odette Hamilton, Frida Klarlund, and Shamirah Nabadda.