By VICTOR OKOYE

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) says it is implementing reforms to its statutes and regulations to strengthen confidence in referees, Video Assistant Referee (VAR) operators and judicial bodies.

The body said the reforms were also aimed at preventing a recurrence of incidents recorded during the final of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025.

CAF noted that referees and VAR operators at the CAF AFCON Côte d’Ivoire 2023 earned widespread praise for their outstanding performances, adding that it was determined to restore that level of confidence across its competitions.

It said it would continue to appoint top African judges and lawyers into its disciplinary and appeal boards.

According to CAF, the officials are nominated by member associations and appointed by its Executive Committee and General Assembly.

The body stressed that the independence and impartiality of its judicial organs remained critical to its credibility.

CAF President, Patrice Motsepe, said the reforms marked a decisive step towards restoring integrity and confidence in African football administration.

“We are implementing far-reaching changes to ensure that African referees, VAR operators and judicial bodies are trusted, respected and globally competitive,” Motsepe said.

He said CAF had obtained expert legal advice to align its regulations with international football standards and best practices.

“These reforms will ensure that the unacceptable incidents witnessed at the AFCON Morocco 2025 final do not happen again.

“CAF is working closely with FIFA to improve training and capacity development of referees and match officials.

“We want our referees and VAR operators to be among the best in the world, and that requires continuous training, investment and professionalisation,” Motsepe said.

The CAF president emphasised the need for improved welfare and remuneration for match officials across the continent.

“Professionalising and properly rewarding our referees is essential to maintaining high standards and integrity in the game.”

Motsepe noted that CAF had made significant progress in governance, transparency and ethical standards in recent years.

“Our zero-tolerance policy on corruption and misconduct remains firm and non-negotiable.

“CAF is committed to fairness and equal treatment of all member associations.

“No member association will be favoured over another.

“Fairness and equality are fundamental to everything we do,” he added.

Motsepe further added that matters arising from the AFCON 2025 final were currently before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

“Our immediate focus is on our ongoing competitions and supporting African teams ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026,” he said.

He expressed confidence in the continent’s representatives at the global tournament.

“We are confident that African teams will make the continent proud on the world stage,” Motsepe said. NAN)

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