WeeklySA_AdminCALL: Former World Cup referee takes on Southern African leadership role, with a FIFA technical assignment in Qatar also on his calendar…
By WSAM Sports Reporter
Former South African international referee Victor Gomes has been appointed chairman of the COSAFA Referees Committee, adding another regional leadership responsibility to a career distinguished by major international appointments.
SAFA announced the appointment on November 6, saying Gomes would bring extensive experience to efforts to improve officiating across Southern Africa.
The appointment comes as Gomes prepares to travel to Qatar to serve as a technical instructor at the FIFA Under-17 World Cup, which SAFA says will run from November 19 to December 13.
His latest responsibilities extend his transition from controlling matches at the highest level to helping develop the officials who will follow in his footsteps.
SAFA president Dr Danny Jordaan welcomed the appointment, describing it as recognition of Gomes’ contribution to refereeing.
“His appointment as Chairman of the COSAFA Referees Committee reflects his dedication to raising the standard of match officiating,” Jordaan said.
“Victor has consistently flown the South African flag high, both on the pitch and in committee boardrooms, and we wish him every success in leading COSAFA’s refereeing structures.”
Gomes also serves as vice-chairman of the Confederation of African Football’s Referees Committee, contributing to referee development, training and selection across the continent. According to SAFA, he participates in FIFA’s technical advisory structures and previously chaired the association’s National Referees Committee.
His administrative career follows an accomplished spell on the field. Gomes refereed in the Premier Soccer League from 2008 until his retirement in late 2022, earning the PSL Referee of the Season award in 2012–13 and 2017–18.
He joined FIFA’s international refereeing panel in 2011 and went on to handle some of African football’s most demanding fixtures.
Among his most prominent assignments was the final of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, played in February 2022, when Senegal defeated Egypt on penalties. Later that year, he officiated at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar before ending his active refereeing career.
Beyond his match appointments, Gomes earned recognition for his integrity. In 2018, he rejected and reported an attempted bribe ahead of a CAF Confederation Cup match — an incident SAFA highlighted as an example of his commitment to ethical conduct.
His COSAFA appointment now gives him a further platform to apply that experience to the development and standards of refereeing across the region.
