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Three Sierra Leonean football officials took part in the CAF Women’s Champions League WAFU Zone A Qualifiers in The Gambia, representing the country during a match between USFAS of Mali and Aigles de la Médina of Senegal.
The Sierra Leonean officials were assigned different responsibilities for the fixture, with Miriam Heroe serving as general coordinator, Agnes Abdul Gbla as assistant referee 1 and Aminata Fullah as reserve referee.
Their appointments place three Sierra Leoneans among the officials working at a regional qualifying competition for one of Africa’s major women’s club football tournaments.
Heroe’s role as general coordinator involved organising and coordinating the match.
Gbla served on the officiating team as assistant referee 1, while Fullah was appointed reserve referee.
The participation of officials from Sierra Leone comes as women’s football continues to receive greater attention across the continent, with CAF competitions providing opportunities for match officials to gain experience at regional and continental level.
Assignments at CAF competitions provide match officials with opportunities to work in an international environment and demonstrate their professionalism and technical ability.
For Sierra Leone, the involvement of three officials in the same Women’s Champions League qualifying fixture provides another opportunity for the country’s football personnel to gain experience outside domestic competitions.
It also highlights the range of roles Sierra Leonean officials can take on within organised CAF competitions, from match coordination to refereeing duties.
The participation of Heroe, Gbla and Fullah also provides an example for young people interested in careers in football beyond playing.
Women continue to take on increasingly visible roles across football administration and officiating, and international assignments can help build the experience required for higher-level competitions.
The three officials will now return from the assignment with further international experience as Sierra Leone continues to develop its presence in women’s football administration and officiating.
Their involvement in the WAFU Zone A qualifiers represents another opportunity for Sierra Leoneans to contribute to the organisation of women’s football at the regional level.
