The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has included Nigerian referee, Musa Dung Davou, amongst the match officials for the upcoming Futsal African Nations Cup tournament.
Hailing from Plateau State, Davou is recognised as one of Nigeria's FIFA Futsal referees.
He successfully passed fitness and medical tests, demonstrating his preparedness for the competition.
Previously, Nigerian referee representation in major tournaments has been scarce. The closest a Nigerian came to officiating at the FIFA World Cup was Peter Elgam Edibi's inclusion on the provisional list for the 2014 tournament in Brazil.
Similarly, 2006 marked the last time a Nigerian served as a central referee in the Africa Cup of Nations. While the upcoming competition is Futsal, played on a hard court similar to basketball, Davou's selection signifies a significant development for Nigerian match officials.
Nigerian football referees faced criticism for their recent exclusion from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
CAF's Head of Refereeing, Desire Noumandiez Doue, attributed this to them not being considered "the best" at that time.
He emphasised the need for continuous improvement and development amongst Nigerian referees.
This recent selection, however, suggests progress. By meeting the required standards, Nigerian referees are demonstrating their potential.
It is anticipated that individuals like Davou will excel and become leading Futsal referees on the continent.
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