CAF explains why Referee of the Year Award was scrapped

Mr. Ahmad Ahmad, President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), has said the referee of the year category, was omitted from the list of nominees for the 2017 CAF Awards in Accra, because the referees have already been recognized.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Wednesday, Mr Ahmad said, "the best referees, already have their awards by officiating at the biggest event on the continent and abroad, so they need no award again.

“We don't want to encourage corruption in the refereeing industry, as we believe awarding then can breed corruption," he added.

On why the African Footballer Of The Year based in Africa award was also scrapped, Mr. Ahmad noted that “the best is always the best, we don't have two bests, so the players based in Africa, are also capable of winning the African player of the year award so there was no need to categorize them”.

The CAF President has used the occasion to laud Liverpool Football Club for releasing both their Stars Sadio Mane and Mohammed Salah for the annual ceremony.

Meanwhile, Egyptian Mohamed Salah, Gabon’s Aubameyang and Sadio Mane of Senegal are the contenders for the prestigious African Player of the Year award, whilst the trio of Asisat Oshoala from Nigeria, Chrestina Kgatlana from South Africa and Gabrielle Aboudi Onguene from Cameroon, would battle for the Women’s Player of the Year.