Janny Sikazwe, Zambia’s top FIFA official, has announced his retirement from active football at the age of 43.
Sikazwe, who has been a referee for 23 years, says he has decided to retire to give young referees a chance.
Sikazwe, a FIFA and CAF-accredited referee, officiated a game in the World Cup in Qatar at the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium on November 23, 2022, when Canada faced Belgium in Group F.
During a press conference to announce his official retirement on Friday, December 23, 2022, the Zambian recalled his experience in an AFCON game between Mali and Tunisia at the Limbe Omnisport Stadium on January 12, 2022.
Janny Sikazwe of Zambia ended Tunisia’s match with Mali 13 seconds before the 90th minute, and according to reports, Sikazwe went to the hospital the next day for heart, blood, and physical tests, all of which came back negative.
While others imitated him at the time, Janny Sikazwe acknowledged in his press conference following his retirement that he had a life-threatening experience during the match between Mali and Tunisia.
Following a medical examination, Sikazwe was diagnosed with “heat stroke,” which causes memory loss, causing him to end the game prematurely and send all of the players back to the locker room before reversing his decision to relaunch the game after a few minutes of general confusion.
In the 2021 AFCON Tournament in Cameroon, the Kapiri Mposhi native explained his condition that led to such a decision. He explained, “I nearly died when I ended the match prematurely due to heat stroke at the 2021 AFCON. It was the worst match of my career.”
The Zambian has a brief track record as a referee, having officiated the 2016 FIFA Club World Cup Final in Japan between Real Madrid, representing UEFA as the reigning UEFA Champions League champions, and Japanese club Kashima Antlers.
He again officiated at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia and made his debut in the Belgium vs. Panama Group G game on June 18, which eventually made him the first Zambian referee to officiate a game at the FIFA World Cup finals.
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