SA refs in last-ditch fitness tests

FOUR South African referees face a last-gasp test in Dar-es-Salaam today in a bid to keep their status as Fifa officials.

Victor Hlungwani, Lwandile Mfiki and Daniel Volgraaf all failed in July when Fifa tested SA referees in the traditional pre-season examinations.

While Mfiki then passed a test conducted by Safa and has handled some Premier Soccer League assignments, he must still redo the Fifa exam.

Hlungwani, who was injured, and Volgraaf, who was sick, have been in limbo since missing the Safa re-test but if they pass the Fifa examination they will be allowed back to do local assignments too.

They are joined by assistant referee Andrew Reezers.

The Safa re-test was for local purposes only and is not recognised by Fifa. Those who fail a Fifa test in their own country can retry when world football's organising body does its next examination in a nearby country.

They have had to pay their own way to Dar-es-Salaam.

The officials face a tough physical examination starting with accelerated runs. There are six runs of 40m, which the refs must complete in 6.2 seconds and linesmen in six seconds flat. There is a one- minute interval between the six.

Then they move onto a high-intensity run on a 400m track divided into four segments - 150m run in 30sec, with 50m recovery at walking pace, followed by another 150m run in 30sec, with 50m recovery. This they must do 12 times, keeping inside the time target at all times.

Meanwhile, veteran referees Jerome Damon and Buyile Gqubule are both back on the national panel after they passed local re-tests.