African female referees are about to reach a new landmark in world football as they look to make history at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics quarterfinal fixture between Team Great Britain and Australia.
The match to be held on Friday will see a team of five African referees in charge of proceedings in different areas of the game.
In what’s a new high for referees on the continent, the quintuple of Rwandan, Salma Rhadia Mukansanga, Kenya’s Mary Njoroge, Malawi’s Bernadettar Kwimbira, Nigeria’s Patience Ndidi Madu and Mauritian, Maria Packuita Cynquela will all be in charge of a high profile game in an international tournament.
Kwimbira, 39, has officiated twice in the ongoing Olympics as she was at the centre in the matches between Great Britain and Chile, and Netherlands against China.
She stands out as one of the best female referees in African football, alongside South Africa’s Akhona Makalima and Ethiopia’s Lydia Tafese Abebe.
Abebe was at the last FIFA Women’s World Cup in France and officiated in the opening game of the 2020 African Nations Championship (CHAN) held in Cameroon.