History to be made in Rio as Senegalese referees set to preside over Olympic football match
For the first time in history, a group of three African referees will preside over a football match together, during the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
44 year-old main referee Malang Died-hiou, 33 year-old assistant referee Djibril Camara and 37 year-old assistant referee El Hadj Malick Samba, are the three Senegalese nationals who will preside, as international referees, during the August Summer Games.
The FIFA Referees Committee confirmed the appointment of 88 match officials from over 40 countries to officiate at the Olympics. Africa boasts five referees, who are Kwimbira Berna-dettar of Malawi and Ahmed Waleed of Sudan, who join the three Senegalese officials.
“This is a first for our country and for the African continent for this Senegalese team to be part of a world-renowned game like the Olympic Games. This only attests to the hard work that Senegalese trainers have invested in Senegalese referees,” Malang said.
