By Edwin Mbewe
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-The Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has issued a stern warning to aspiring referees to steer clear of corruption, saying unethical conduct could destroy promising careers before they even take off.
The warning came on Monday at Mpira Village in Blantyre during the opening of a five-day FIFA Member Association training course for 30 referees aged under 25, an initiative aimed at preparing a new generation of match officials as experienced referees gradually exit the game.
Opening the course on, FAM Director of Operations Gomezgani Zakazaka urged the young officials to uphold integrity and enforce the Laws of the Game without fear or favour.
“Refereeing is a very difficult job because many referees face temptations from some team officials. We are warning these young referees to avoid corruption because it can destroy the future of their careers,” Zakazaka said.
He said the programme reflects FAM’s determination to safeguard the future of football officiating by investing in young referees capable of replacing retiring officials.
“Some referees who have served the game for a long time are retiring, so FAM saw it necessary to train young referees to ensure that the gap is not felt,” he said.
Zakazaka said the course will sharpen participants’ understanding of the Laws of the Game, strengthen their technical and practical officiating skills, assess their physical fitness and monitor their performance after the training to ensure continuous improvement.
For the young referees, the training represents more than just a classroom exercise—it is an opportunity to build careers and earn the confidence to officiate at higher levels of the game.
Participant Ruth Golden of Lilongwe said the course would equip young referees with the knowledge and confidence needed to make difficult decisions under pressure.
“This training will greatly help us in executing our duties as referees so that we can work towards becoming excellent match officials,” she said.
Golden said referees often come under intense pressure from players and team officials who challenge decisions despite having limited knowledge of the Laws of the Game.
“We face problems, especially from team managers and players, because we work according to the laws, which they sometimes disagree with because many do not know the rules of refereeing,” she said.
Leading the training is FIFA Technical Instructor Tamer Mahmoud of Egypt, who said the course is designed to shape disciplined, confident and professional referees capable of handling the demands of modern football.
Mahmoud said participants will undergo intensive sessions covering match management, on-field conduct, decision-making and strategies for handling pressure and conflict during games.
The course is being facilitated by Mahmoud with support from Mark Zengo and local instructors Michael Makoto and Bernadette Kwiimbira.
As Malawi looks to strengthen the quality and credibility of its football officiating, FAM hopes the programme will produce a new crop of referees ready to uphold the integrity of the game and carry the whistle into a new era.
