End of An Era As Sikazwe Calls Time, With Gomes Set To Join Him

Janny Sikazwe, one of the big names in officiating on the continent for the last ten years, has called time on his career.

At 43, Janny Sikazwe has made a personal decision to end his career as a referee, kock442.com revealed on Wednesday.

The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) is set to formalise the information in the days ahead.

Sikazwe’s career took off in 2012 when he whistled his first match at the AFCON. He then reached his peak by officiating in the final of the 2017 edition of the AFCON won by Cameroon in Gabon.

Sikazwe also has a Club World Cup final to his credit (Real Madrid/Kashima Antlers in 2016), two matches at the 2018 World Cup, followed by one this year in Qatar, pitting Belgium against Canada.

It wasn’t all rosy for Sikazwe who got loads of stick for his blunder in the 2022 AFCON group match that saw Mali take on Tunisia January.

Sunstroked, Sikazwe lost awareness and whistled full-time for the first time in the 85th minute (!), before changing his mind and then definitively ratifying the end of the match after only 89 minutes and 46 seconds, despite a long added on time that was expected.

In Qatar, Sikazwe’s performance during the Belgium-Canada game had also been debated upon with two alleged penalties for the Canada not given. In his defense, the VAR did not step in.

Victor Gomes (40), who is also part of the African elites and wise men of the whistle, has reportedly confided in a few that he will call time in his career anytime from now.