A football referee, more generally called a football official, is one of the most important persons in a football game. In this article, we will tell you how you can become a football referee in Cameroon.
Who is a Football Referee?
A football referee is an individual who is appointed to oversee a football game. Their role is to ensure the proper application of the laws of the game and player safety and to enforce fair play during a football match.
Generally, anyone can play the role of a referee in an unofficial or amateur game, but to become a professional referee in any country, you must be affiliated with the football federation of that country.
How to Become a Football Referee in Cameroon & Abroad
What is The Procedure For The Recruitment of Referees In Cameroon?
- Academic Requirement
- mastery of the FIFA Laws of the game
- Medical Aptitude Test
- Physical Aptitude Test
- Viva Voce & Written Examination
1. Academic Requirement:
2. Mastery of The 17 Laws of The Game:
3. Medical Aptitude Test
Being a referee requires a lot of physical, emotional, and psychological activity. Medical tests such as blood sugar level, blood pressure, and ECG are usually carried out. ECG (Electrocardiogram) is a test that records the electrical signals from your heart and is used to determine different heart conditions.
Learn more: FECAFOOT Announces Date for Selection of Match Officials.
4. Physical Tests
The physical tests are by far the most important of all the tests. They are designed to determine the physical fitness of the candidates. These physical tests are divided into two phases; the sprinting test and the resistance test.
The Sprinting test helps to show the referee's ability to accelerate quickly and keep up with the pace of a match. The candidate is required to cover a 40-meter distance in about six seconds. Part of the sprinting test also requires the candidate to sprint over short distances of 10m while moving side to side and changing direction constantly.
The resistance test determines the candidate's ability to withstand the duration of a football match. It involves doing 40 laps around a 75-meter track or a distance equivalent to 2500 meters.
5. Viva Voce & Written Examination
The Viva Voce is an oral evaluation where different match situations are displayed on a screen for the candidate to interpret and call the right decision. While the written part of the exams usually involves 20 multiple questions to be answered by the candidate.
How Are Referees Classified?
Depending on the level which was entered, a candidate must register a score of 15 or higher to be considered successful in the written test and hence recognized as a professional referee. Generally, referees in Cameroon are classified into the following groups:
- Divisional or probationary category: Can officiate amateur league games (must be 15 years and above)
- Regional Category: can officiate regional league games
- National Category: Can officiate ELITE championship games ( you must be at most 30 years before being admitted at the National level)