08 Jul 2025

Botswana Premier League referees are to adopt new rules by enhancing communication strategies and embracing technology to improve their effectiveness and promote fair play.

This was revealed by FIFA referee technical instructor, Felix Tangawarima during the launch of the Botswana Football Association (BFA) elite referees course in Gaborone yesterday. Tangawarima credited the BFA for organising the weeklong course following the recent amendments on the FIFA play regulation rules of the game, which were bound to effect in the next season.

“Referees are increasingly utilising technology such as body cameras, to monitor player behaviour and provide a record of incidents, potentially aiding in disciplinary actions and promoting accountability. Time-saving measures, like hand signals to indicate remaining time, are also being adopted to maintain game flow,” he said.

Even more gratifying, he said, was the fact that local referees were responding positively to the adaptation of technology in the game of football as evidenced by the two referees who were recently deployed as Video Assistant Referees (VAR) during the recent COSAFA, thus highlighting the need to groom more on the VAR applications.

Tangawarima pleaded with football associations to embrace the new changes and to relay the amendments to both the teams and players alike to guard against any confusion that may arise. The referees integrity, he said, was of importance for the growth and professionalism of the sport hence the need to invest on referees refresher courses to be at par with the modernity of the game. Additionally, he commended the BFA for the transition in the referees from one generation to another.

“Credit to the great working relationship between the BFA and the FIFA instructor unit for grooming young and upcoming referees to fill in the shoes of legends like Joshua Bondo and Lekgotla Johannes through workshops of this nature,” he said.

Tangawarima stated that the status of the referees in Botswana, had over the years, improved with the country managing to contribute to the CAF refereeing pool to officiate in both regional and continental games. Similarly, national referees commission chairperson, Lekgotla Johannes indicated that the elite referees course was a platform that symbolised excellence and education of the highest standards on local referees.

“The elite course is the beginning of a higher calling as it equips the referees to uphold the highest level of integrity and deliver excellence and consistency on and off the field,” he said.

He said plans were also in place to develop the lower refereeing structures at regional level and nurture their integrity. ENDS