. Sikazwe (left)

By FELIX MALUNGA –
ZAMBIA’S top referee, Janny Sikazwe has been appointed to officiate at the 2015 Council of Southern African Football Associations (COSAFA) Senior Challenge Cup in South Africa next month.
Sikazwe will be among five regional referees, who officiated at the recent Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals in Equatorial Guinea, picked for the COSAFA Cup from May 17-30.
Apart from Sikazwe, other referees from the Southern Africa who officiated at the 2015 AFCON, are Bernard Camille (Seychelles), Victor Gomes (South Africa), Rajindraparsad Seechurn (Mauritius) and Hamada Nampiandraza (Madagascar).
Sikazwe also officiated in the first leg of the 2014 CAF Champions League final between AS Vita Club from DR Congo and Algeria’s ES Setif.
According to a COSAFA statement, the best of the region’s match officials will be in attendance at the COSAFA Cup in South Africa and they, along with additional referees from South Africa, will be the recipients of a refresher course ahead of the tournament.
COSAFA, in collaboration with world governing body FIFA, will conduct fitness tests and then host a three-day course for all the referees and assistant referees appointed for the showpiece.
COSAFA’s referees committee chairperson, Johan Muinjo said : “As part of our mandate to develop the game in the Southern African region, we are constantly providing match officials with the opportunity to fine-tune and improve their skills. The COSAFA Cup is our flagship tournament and we expect the very highest calibre of match officiating at the event and so as we do before very one of our tournaments, we will provide the referees and their assistants with this refresher course in conjunction with FIFA.”
Austrian energy drink, Power Horse is the main sponsor of the 2015 COSAFA Cup in South Africa where Zambia, the defending champions, will be seeking a record fifth regional title.