Zambian referee Janny Sikazwe has reportedly retired after the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
The 43-year-old Sikazwe officiated one game at the FIFA World Cup that Qatar hosted from November 20 to December 18 in what was the first time the tournament had been staged in an Arab nation.
Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) referees manager Azipah Banda told The Zambia Daily Mail in an interview that Sikazwe will remain in the technical structures of the game.
“He has stated that this just ended World Cup in Qatar will be his last assignment,” Banda said.
“He is retiring but he will still play a role in the development of refereeing in Zambia since he has vast knowledge.”
JANNY SIKAZWE AT QATAR WORLD CUP
Sikazwe was in charge of one match in Qatar that was played on November 23 in Belgium’s 1-0 Group F win over Canada.
This was Sikazwe’s second FIFA World cup after making his debut at Russia 2018 where he officiated two games and remains the only Zambian to officiate at The Mundial.
Sikazwe has been a referee for two decades and made his international debut in 2007.
He also officiated the 2017 AFCON final clash that saw Cameroon beat Egypt 2-1 in Libreville, Gabon.
However, Sikazwe made headlines for the wrong reasons at the 2021 AFCON after twice ending a group game between Mali and Tunisia in the last ten minutes of the game in Cameroon.
Sikazwe’s judgment during that match played in Limbe was said to be down to a bout of heatstroke.
But that was Sikawze’s second controversial movement after he was briefly suspended from November 2018 to January 2019.
Sikazwe was suspended for alleged corruption in the CAF Champions League semifinal final leg match between Esperance of Tunisia and Angolan club Premiero de Agosto.
He also refereed the 2016 FIFA World Club Cup final between Real Madrid and Japanese side Kashima Antlers in Yokohama and was at the 2017 FIFA U20 World Cup in South Korea.
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