The East Africa Cup whistle blowers

Being a referee isn’t the most gratifying job. The better you are, the less noticed you are likely to be. It would appear that refereeing during the East Africa Cup, a tournament bringing together more than 1300 participants from Kenya to Zimbabwe, is no exception to this rule.

But for Maqulate Atieno, the coordinator of the refereeing clinics, being a referee during the East Africa Cup is something special : « referees are from different countries, but on the first day they are asked to come together as a team. We put nationalities aside from day one. »

Using the East Africa Cup as a platform to train referees
With hundreds of football and volleyball games planned in four days, East Africa Cup whistle blowers bear a certain responsibility in the overall success of this event.

For that reason, this event is also the occasion to bring these young referees up to speed, and update them on the latest changes in football rules and regulations. « Referees from the East Africa Cup partner organisations are rather young, and may not have access to the latest information in terms of laws and regulations » indicates Maqulate Atieno.

Against this background, the East Africa Cup also represents a forum where these referees can learn from one another. According to Maqulate, « the East Africa Cup is a learning moment, not only for the players but also for the referees. »

This platform is also meant to be a learning moment for the organisations taking part in this event. Indeed, the young referees bring these newly acquired skills back to their respective organisations after the tournament ends.

About the East Africa Cup
More than a sports tournament, the East Africa Cup is a celebration of sports, fellowship, cultural exchange and education. Educational workshops are organised on a daily basis, meaning that every participant takes part in trainings in the area of conflict resolution, leadership skills, or refereeing before having fun on the sports field.

Additional updates from the East Africa Cup will be posted on the International Platform on Sport and Development throughout the tournament. For more information, visit the section dedicated to the East Africa Cup.