Football referees are some of the most underrated professionals in the world of sports all over the world. Soccer players and football administrators hog the limelight, while referees are seen as just mere contributors when games are being played and disappear into the wilderness when they blow the last whistle.
One of the up-and-coming football referees in the Vhembe district, Tshifhiwa Tshishonga, who is now officiating in the ABC Motsepe League, says referees are as important as players and administrators in football.
"If you select the best football players in the world, including Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappé, they will never play a football game if there are no referees. We are as important as other role players in the game," he said.
Tshishonga said he had started as a football player but had switched to refereeing when he had hung up his soccer boots a few years ago. He said that he had attended refereeing courses under the tutelage of one of the most experienced referees in the country, Mr Ephraim Singo, and after finishing his course, he had started officiating in the Thulamela Local Football Association (Thulfa) in 2014. "I was promoted to the SAB League in 2016, and last year I was promoted to the ABC League, and to be honest, I am enjoying my job as a referee," he said.
When asked whether referees were really at times receiving bribes to influence the outcome of games, he said he had heard such rumours many times, but he had never been approached with a bribe offer.
"I will never do that in my life. I love my job and cannot risk my career because of unfaithful people," he said.