Refs get ‘peanuts’ in Namibia

NAMIBIAN football referees are some of the worst paid in southern Africa, as they only get N$100 for handling a premiership match.

The referees in the lower divisions are even worse off, with a referee taking charge of a First Division match pocketing only N$50, while second-division and women’s football referees receive N$30 per match. South African referees pocket about N$2 800 per match.Namibian referees’ chief Boy Boy Ndjadila told The Namibian Sport that the situation is so desperate that some unemployed referees at times accept bribes to throw matches.He said teams offer referees huge sums of money and this sometimes leaves the referees with no choice but to accept.”If a team offers a referee N$5 000 or N$10 000 to throw a match, do you think he will refuse? Some of these guys are unemployed and it is very easy for them to accept bribes,” he said.However, he said there are some senior referees in the country who will not accept bribes, but despite that, there should be immediate changes to address the plight of the men in black.He said Namibian referees have been paid ‘peanuts’ for the past ten years.He said he submitted proposals to the Namibia Premier League (NPL), which is responsible for paying referees, suggesting that the fees be increased before the new season.He suggested in his proposal that referees e paid at least N$300 per match, while the two assistant referees should at least receive N$250.The fourth official and the match commissioner should each get N$200, said Ndjadila.Ndjadila was also not happy with the amounts that are paid to referees and their assistants during cup competitions.He said during the NFA MTC Cup final, which was won by African Stars last season, the referee got N$100, irrespective of the magnitude of the tournament.The winning team got N$350 000, while the runners-up got over N$150 000.Ndjadila argues that in such a big final where there is so much money involved for the teams, the referees should get a decent pay too.Refs handling matches outside the country are paid ten times more than NPL matches.”Now tell me, how do you want those referees to be motivated and dedicated to their job here? They are Fifa-accredited referees and are highly regarded in Africa, yet they cannot get a decent pay in their home country,” he said.”Football authorities need to keep up with inflation.Ten years down the line, referees do not even get more than N$100.It is a pity and I am very sad about that,” said the former referee.South African referees pocket about N$2 800 per match.Namibian referees’ chief Boy Boy Ndjadila told The Namibian Sport that the situation is so desperate that some unemployed referees at times accept bribes to throw matches.He said teams offer referees huge sums of money and this sometimes leaves the referees with no choice but to accept.”If a team offers a referee N$5 000 or N$10 000 to throw a match, do you think he will refuse? Some of these guys are unemployed and it is very easy for them to accept bribes,” he said.However, he said there are some senior referees in the country who will not accept bribes, but despite that, there should be immediate changes to address the plight of the men in black. He said Namibian referees have been paid ‘peanuts’ for the past ten years.He said he submitted proposals to the Namibia Premier League (NPL), which is responsible for paying referees, suggesting that the fees be increased before the new season.He suggested in his proposal that referees e paid at least N$300 per match, while the two assistant referees should at least receive N$250.The fourth official and the match commissioner should each get N$200, said Ndjadila.Ndjadila was also not happy with the amounts that are paid to referees and their assistants during cup competitions.He said during the NFA MTC Cup final, which was won by African Stars last season, the referee got N$100, irrespective of the magnitude of the tournament.The winning team got N$350 000, while the runners-up got over N$150 000.Ndjadila argues that in such a big final where there is so much money involved for the teams, the referees should get a decent pay too.Refs handling matches outside the country are paid ten times more than NPL matches.”Now tell me, how do you want those referees to be motivated and dedicated to their job here? They are Fifa-accredited referees and are highly regarded in Africa, yet they cannot get a decent pay in their home country,” he said.”Football authorities need to keep up with inflation.Ten years down the line, referees do not even get more than N$100.It is a pity and I am very sad about that,” said the former referee.