Kericho County Governor Prof. Paul Chepkwony has called on women countrywide to participate in the national football game not only as players but also in the management of the sport.
The governor was speaking during the second day of the National Physical Endurance Test for Football Referees and Match Commissioners at the Kericho Green Stadium.
Chepkwony was accompanied by his Deputy, Lily Ngok and the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Deputy President, Petra Doris as Kericho hosted the National Physical Endurance Test for Football Referees for the second time.
A total of 247 referees drawn from all over the country have converged at the Kericho Green Stadium in Kericho town for the FKF Physical Endurance Test (PET) which is expected to end at the weekend when the Match Commissioners will also go through the same training.
According to the FKF Referees’ Manager, Mr. Sylvester Kirwa, the referees and match commissioners who will preside over the Kenya Premier League (KPL), National Super league, Divisions One and League Two assignments for the next season that begins in October will benefit from the training that entails the physical and the theory bit of it.
Kirwa who spoke to KNA revealed that the training was significant for all the referees and Match Commissioners since there are changes in the laws of the game from Federation International Football Association (FIFA) which will be used in the next season that begins next month.
“Before the beginning of next season, we have to be well acquainted with the new laws. For example, there is some change in the law 11 the off-side, law 12 misconduct – basically to do with the hand ball among other things,” said Kirwa
He further added that the workshop was vital for referees as it was used to test their fitness for games besides ensuring that they stick to football rules and FIFA standards assuring that FKF was committed to ensure all referees and match commissioners get high quality training in order to officiate games as per the rules and FIFA standards.
Kirwa also said that FKF was also using the Kericho Green Stadium to conduct the physical endurance tests which involves interval runs among other exercises and urged all referees to cooperate in order to gain the best out of the training.
Meanwhile, the Kenya National Football Team, Harambee Stars are now set for their upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifier back to back matches against Mali set to be played in October 2021.
The National team currently stands second in the Group E table standings with 2 points in World Cup Qualifiers.
By Kibe Mburu and Gideon Kimutai
