The Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA), on Tuesday picked four African female referees to officiate at the forthcoming 2014 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica.
In the list of referees published on the federation’s Website, Togo has two officials, while Madagascar and Zambia have one official each. No Nigerian was considered by the World governing body for the World Cup.
Togo’s Amegee Aissata Ameyo is the only African referee appointed as a centre referee, while her compatriot, Dzodope Ayawa Mana, was appointed as an assistant referee.
Madagascar’s Rakotozafinoro Lidwine Pelagie was also appointed as an assistant referee, while Zambia’s Lengwe Gladys was appointed as a reserve referee.
46 female match officials from 30 different countries have been selected for the tournament scheduled to hold from March 15 to April 4.
Ameyo, who was born in 1975, became an international referee in 2001, while Mana, who was born in 1978, became an international referee in 2003.
Pelagie, 36, became an international official in 2004, while Gladys, who was also born in 1978, became an international referee in 2002.
The fourth edition of the tournament will hold in four Costa Rican cities: Liberia, Alajuela, Tibas and San Jose.