Zambian referee Janny Sikazwe will lead the African contigent of match officials that will officiate at the Club World Cup in Japan next month.
The Kapiri based whistle-man is one of the six referee’s that will officiate at the tournament and is the only one from the CAF region.
The 37 year old will travel to the tournament with Dos Santos Jerson (Assistant 1 – Angola), Tesfagiorghis Berhe (Assistant 2 – Eritrea) and Gassama Bakary of Gambia.
Sikazwe has worked his to the top of the African referee’s rankings and was last year shortlisted for the Glo CAF award for best referee in Africa.
He had a succesful 2015 which saw him officiate stand as the fourth official at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations finals before he before he was named at the centre man in the finals of the Confederations Cup the same year.
He has this year officiated nine international matches which include CAF Club matches, Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and friendly two friendly matches involving South Africa.
This excludes the matches he officiated at the COSAFA tournament where he walked away with a gold medal.
The strict disciplinarian has handed out 21 yellow cards in the last 7 international matches that he has been the centre man. He has also handed out one red card in the game between Rwanda and Gabon.
In one game between Young Africans and TP Mazembe in June, he handed out 6 bookings which was one short of his record 7 yellow cards he handed out in a game between Nigeria and Ghana at the 2014 CHAN tournament.
The Club World Cup, which will be played between 8-18 December, features the six continental club champions and a representative of the host nation.
Kennedy Mweene’s Mamelodi Sundowns will represent Africa at the tournament.
Excellence needs to be applauded!!!!Well done Janny!
Congratulations and Godspeed!!
wow this is great news indeed, flying our flag super high.
Excellent! Once The Best, Alwayz The Best. Mr Janny Keep It Going Man.
He’s always in control of the his matches, well done Janny.
Put Zambia on the map. Will his exposure good too. Looking at his CV, he deserves the appointment.
Babas good luck and don’t disappoint us as a nation
We salute you my brother. Putting the Nation on the soccer map. National team misfiring.