Two of Botswana’s emerging young referees, Leteng Magogwe and Yvone Letota, left for the United Kingdom yesterday for a two-week attachment with the English FA.
According to referees manager, Dintwe Dintwe, the duo was selected by the FA referees instructors to attend and will be sponsored by the English FA.
“We have an agreement with the English FA in which they send us some instructors to come help our local referees. Both Magogwe and Letota were part of the last class that was instructed by the FA referees last year and they were selected to go there,” Dintwe said in an interview. Magogwe and Letota, both regarded as the country’s best emerging referees, are doing work in the country’s second tier first division and the women’s league, respectively.
“These are very young referees and we hope they will do well and get very much needed experience in England. We are hopeful that when they come back, they will be able to share with the other referees what they learnt during their stay with the English FA,” the referees’ manager added.
For his part, Magogwe expressed pleasure at the opportunity to learn from the English, saying he is hopeful the attachment will help him grow as a referee.
“I believe the English FA referees instructors saw some potential in me hence their decision to choose me to go there. I hope this will help open doors for me as a young referee and will help me when I get to work in the bigger league,” Magogwe added.
Aged only 24 years, Magogwe is now an experienced referee in the first division, having been there for almost four years now.
For her part, Letota, who is a female referee, said an opportunity to learn with the English FA was a welcome development as she seeks to improve as a referee.
The 26-year-old, who only started refereeing four years ago, has made tremendous steps and is already a FIFA recognised referee.
“It is funny that I have never played football in life. I was drawn into refereeing after watching the likes of Glendah Moleofhi while I was a student at the University of Botswana and have been a referee ever since then,” Letota said.
She says while in England, her intention will be to learn as much as she can.
