Cameroon-Alioum Sidi: "A corrupt referee can't go far"

Sport News Africa: Fecafoot suspended 4 referees on 23 February for "serious breaches in the performance of their duties". As an international referee, how do you read this decision?

Alioum SIDI: We have noticed that young referees are increasingly guilty of lapses in their day-to-day work. Professional errors, most of which relate to errors of judgement. Or refereeing decisions that were poorly assessed or should never have been made. Football referees are human too and they can make mistakes. And as the saying goes: to err is human.

You say to err is human, but with Cameroonian referees it is becoming a recurring problem. Besides, several of them are accused of fixing matches... Is it possible for a referee to be paid to make a team win?

Anything is possible in football. Personally, I don't believe much in this kind of practice. I don't believe our young referees would so easily put their careers on the line by accepting bribes. In football, there is a lot of talk about referee corruption and match-fixing, but nobody has ever seen tangible proof of such a practice.

That is why I don't really believe it, because in most cases it is easier for clubs to justify a defeat by accusing the referee of having officiated in the opposition's favour. We have made Cameroonian refereeing younger. And all these young officials want to go very far. I am convinced they cannot take such risks.

Read more on the same subject: Cameroon-Elie One: FECAFOOT suspends 4 referees

"A good referee is a person of good moral character"

 

During your international career, have you personally heard of or seen any dealings aimed at favouring one or more clubs or national teams?

These are things you only hear in rumours. Personally, I have never been approached by anyone for this kind of thing. When you are an impartial, professional and strict referee, nobody will approach you with improper proposals. They know you will refuse to be manipulated. And that you will go to the relevant authorities to inform them. A corrupt referee can't go far in his career.

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What makes a good referee?

First of all, he is a professional, meaning someone who has been trained for the job of refereeing. He should be on the pitch only to enforce the laws of the game. Next, he is a good athlete. He must have good physical stamina. A good referee is also a person of good moral character. He is also someone who is humble. He must be uncompromising, but also flexible when he realises he has made a wrong decision. He must listen to the colleagues with whom he officiates a match. Finally, he must love football.

What does a Cameroonian football referee earn? How is he paid?

A football referee cannot expect the same salary as the players. Referees receive allowances for each match. It is true that recently we have had arrears. But the president of the Federation has taken steps to put everything back in order. They have therefore been able to receive all their allowances and other match expenses. These allowances are paid on the basis of a certain number of scales that have been put in place.

Under the Federation's new policy, a referee must first have a job. Refereeing is only a supplement. There are some who live solely off refereeing and it is hard for them to make ends meet.

As president of the Cameroonian Association of Football Referees (ACAF), what needs to be done to improve working conditions and the standard of Cameroonian officials?

My fight is to do everything so that Cameroonian football referees are comfortable and happy doing this job. We want fewer and fewer accusations of corruption against referees. We hope to find ways to improve their living conditions through continuous dialogue with the Federation. We will also increase the number of training courses, to raise the standard of our referees.

Interview by Arthur WANDJI