By Michael Madyira
South African Football Association head of referees Abdul Ebrahim has revealed the reason why Victor Gomes is ready to retire.
Ebrahim said the top local referee Gomes has indicated he will drop his whistle after the 2022 Fifa World Cup in December.
Over the years, the 39-year-old match official has been entrusted with handling high-profile local and international fixtures.
He is now set to feature in his first-ever World Cup finals when he heads to Qatar where he intends to blow his final whistle.
“Victor has indicated that he wants to retire but he has not sent anything formal to the office,” Ebrahim told Scrolla.Africa.
“Until I receive anything formal, he is still a very active referee. He has indicated that he wants to retire because, think about it, what else is still there for him to achieve after the Afcon final and then now he is going to the World Cup?
“That’s the only reason why he wants to retire. Hopefully, when he comes back from the World Cup I will have to sit down with him and I will talk to him. If it is his wish to retire then, by all means, it is something we will have to consider.
“All he said was that he will retire after the World Cup but, as I said, there is nothing definitive because I have nothing in writing, I don’t have a formal retirement letter.”
Gomes has been in charge of continental finals like the Africa Cup of Nations, Caf Champions League, Caf Super Cup and twice the Caf Confederation Cup.
The Johannesburg-born whistle man is famous for the way he was in firm control of the Afcon final between Senegal and Egypt earlier this year.
After the Qatar World Cup, the current Premier Soccer League campaign will resume and Ebrahim says it is not common for referees to quit in the middle of the season.
“It all depends on how the match official feels. They can retire at any time but usually, they retire at the end of the season,” Ebrahim said.
“Yes, he may have mentioned that he wants to retire but let’s see what happens after the World Cup. If a formal retirement comes, then we sit down and talk. Right now I will put it down to speculation.”
Internationally, Gomes has handled nine matches involving Al Ahly, six Esperance games and five involving Egypt.
On the domestic front, he has been in charge of 40 Sundowns matches, 38 Orlando Pirates’ and 26 Kaizer Chiefs’ games.
Pictured above: Victor Gomes
Image source: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images
