The referee who lives his dream

KENNETH BANDA
Correspondent | Friday February 8, 2008 00:00

 

He wanted to be a top class referee. Although he is yet to reach the zenith of his career, Bondo has surpassed even his wildest imaginations and ascertained himself as a top-notch middleman in local soccer. When he played for Hartlepool in Selebi-Phikwe, the future referee was once fined P500 for protesting at a match official's decision. He says the incident arose after a makeshift referee was chosen at random to officiate a game involving his team. The man let their opponents score three goals from seemingly offside positions and this incensed Bondo. 'I confronted the referee and in turn he told me to take the whistle. The game was abandoned. The matter was reported to the league committee and I was fined P500,' he says.

This was to be a defining moment in his life as he hung up his boots and took up the whistle in a bid to improve the standards of refereeing in the country. He says what had transpired during that game was unwarranted and made the spectators suffer because of inept refereeing. He believes match officials can spoil a game with questionable decisions. 'I have always believed that for a good game of football, there should be a good referee,' Bondo says. After retiring from playing in 2002, he immediately enrolled for a referee's course, through the influence of former Botswana Football Association Committee official Tshepo Mphoeng and Oratile Malapela, a Selebi-Phikwe referee. However, it was not smooth sailing at first and Bondo almost quit his newly chosen career. 'It was not easy at first. I almost threw in the towel because of the pressure and the criticism that was being levelled against Phikwe referees,' Bondo recalls. He felt that he had to soldier on and change the perception that Phikwe referees are biased.

Bondo feels indebted to his instructors, Jelas Masole and Harris Lebotse who are now his superiors. The young referee's big break came in 2003 when he officiated a Premier League game between TAFIC and Nico United. Bondo says the late Sam Sono watched the game and afterwards congratulated him for a job well done. 'He told me to carry on with the good work that I was doing. Even today, those words still ring fresh in my mind,' Bondo says. In his first game outside Selebi-Phikwe, he officiated as an assistant referee in the TAFIC and Mogoditshane Fighters' duel in Francistown. Bondo says that at first, he was nervous but Masole calmed him down and he did his best. The derby between Francistown sides, ECCO City Greens and TASC in 2006 stands out as one of the best games he officiated. 'My decisions were spot on, on the day. Both teams were satisfied with the way I had handled the game,' he says.

That performance opened doors for him as he was chosen to officiate top games involving giants Township Rollers, Mochudi Centre Chiefs, Gaborone United and Notwane. He officiated outside the country last December when the referees committee selected him for the COSAFA Under 17 tournament in Namibia. He was elated at the feat and knew that it marked the beginning of greater things to come. Bondo says there were 14 referees from COSAFA member countries in Namibia.

'We were told in no uncertain terms that any match official who did not perform to expectations would board the next plane home. I imagined how Batswana would feel like to hear that I had been sent home for non-performance,' Bondo says. Before he left for Namibia, Lebotse and Masole had told him to go out there and enjoy himself. He said this eased the pressure on him. His first game pitted South Africa against Angola and the match commissioner gave Bondo eight out of 10.

From then on, he impressed in the subsequent games and was given the honour to handle the final between Zimbabwe and South Africa after he outperformed all the referees. Bondo says former South African referee, Ian McLeod, who was a match commissioner, told him that he stood a great chance of officiating at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2010.

While he was still basking in the Namibia glory, Masole told him that he had another international assignment in South Africa. Bondo was to officiate between South Africa and Mozambique in Durban. Again, he did not disappoint in the game, which was transmitted live by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC).

Bondo has now set his sights on the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations and the World Cup, to be hosted by Angola and South Africa respectively. 'I don't want to put myself under pressure but I know there are expectations. I have gained a lot of experience and I am learning by the day,' Bondo says. At a tender age of 29, the Johannesburg-born referee has a bright future.

Bondo hails from Senete in the North East. He says he is humbled by the support that he receives from senior referees. He believes that the criticism of local referees stem from failure by some people to interpret soccer rules. 'I have realised that some people do not understand the rules and in the end, they put referees under unnecessary pressure,' he says. Referees committee chairperson, Lebotse is full of praises for Bondo. 'He is improving by the day. He is a capable young man. All he needs is to focus and not get distracted. We have a lot of confidence in him,' Lebotse says.