SAFA Head of Referees Abdul Ebrahim says referee Victor Gomes has not officially handed in his retirement letter, despite reports that he has called it a quits.
This publication reported on Saturday that Gomes was in charge of his last PSL game, when he was handed the Soweto Derby as Kaizer Chiefs beat Orlando Pirates at the packed to rafters FNB Stadium on Saturday.
The news were since shared and confirmed by many people close to Gomes, however, Ebrahim insisted he has not given his official retirement notice yet.
“The thing is, the department has not received anything official with regards to his retirement, so it’s still pending,” he told iDiski Times when contacted for confirmation.
“Yes, he may have called it as everyone has said, but we have not had a sit-down and the discussions as yet.
“So, let’s wait and see what happens before we say things about retirement. It came up in conversation, but until I get something official from him, then I’m not going to accept he is going to retire.
“If I get an email from him saying, ‘I have retired from all refereeing activities’, then that’s it. And I can say to everybody that ‘now we have received an official retirement from Victor Gomes’.”
Gomes, who will leave the country in the coming days to prepare for the World Cup finals in Qatar, will join a small group of South Africans who have refereed and raised the flag at the global event such as Jerome Damon (2010 World Cup), the late Ian McLeod (1998 World Cup), Enoch Molefe (2010 World Cup), Achmat Sallie (1998 World Cup), Zakhele Siwela (2018 World Cup) and Ari Soldatos (1998 World Cup).
The 39-year-old became the first official in SA to referee the Africa Cup of Nations final in February that was won by Senegal, beating Egypt in Cameroon on penalties. He was assisted by Siwela, who will join him in the Qatar’s World Cup finals.
Gomes will forever be remembered in the AFCON final for sarcastically offering the Egyptian star Mohamed Salah a whistle and his cards to be in charge of the game, with the latter unhappy with some of the officiating.
He was also in charge of CAF Champions League final in May this year in Morocco where Wydad Casablanca defeated Pitso Mosimane’s Al Ahly in the final.
With all this experience and successes Gomes has accumulated on the continent, Ebrahim said the man who has worn the FIFA badge since 2011, his experience cannot go to waste.
“We have a World Cup referee, so much experience – we can’t just let that experience go,” said Ebrahim.
“Somewhere along the line, we have to find something for him to be involved in. But it will be entirely up to him.”
Story by Robin-Duke Madlala (@duke_robin).
