Ethiopian Football Federation executive member and one of the most influential personality in Juneidn Basha’s cabinet, Abebe Gelagay is blamed for meddling in referral matters and disciplinary measures taken by the officials. “He is a major setback on Referee-Players’ relationship in the field.” remarked international arbiter Dawit Asamenaw.
This is not the first time the former Member of Parliament and current EFF executive Abebe Gelagay had been allegedly blamed for interfering in Ethiopian national team selection when the former Coach Ashenafi Bekele was at the helm. At the time Abebe appeared in public to deny the allegation at the same time clarifying the situation that his role as Organizing Committee chairman was simply in support of the Coach in building a stronger national squad.
This time the allegation came from international referee Dawit Asamenaw who told reporters that Abebe’s interference is rather too strong even some players undermining referee’s red card decision claiming that nothing could come out of it. “When some players got red card they brag on us on the spot that our decision would be turned down soon. How come a player suspended for four matches could be back in to action the next game” remarked Dawit. “The man behind these humiliating deeds is Abebe” Dawit added.
Dawit is not the only one who blamed individual interferences contributed for the current chaotic situation surrounding Ethiopian Football. According to Federal Assistant referee Markos Tufa there are times when red card decisions turned down without the knowledge of the concerned body and in many occasion Clubs’ complaints simply thrown away. “I believe there is some corruption behind these arms twisting of referees” Assistant referee Markos suggested.

Considering the current chaotic situation surrounding Ethiopian Football, it is very difficult to predict someone to reach higher up in the standard to be capable enough officiating  matches at Sport’s biggest ever stage World Cup final. But here comes the second international Ethiopian referee Lidya Tafesse Abebe appointed match referee at Women World U-20 Cup final to be held in France this year.
Ethiopian international referee Lidya Abebe Tefesse is one of the 15 international referees appointed to the 8th Women World U-20 Cup final 8th edition that takes place in host nation France from August 5 to 24, 2018. Only two African referees are appointed to officiate the event the other being Linguwe Glady’s from Zambia.
“It is because of their previous records, individual personalities, physical fitness and consistency that those referees appointed for the Cup final” stated the letter from the sport’s governing body FIFA. Fifteen referees and thirty assistants out of which four are from Continent Africa will have refreshing courses ahead of the Cup final.
The Jimma born Lidya had had a success story in her previous under taking both as Women World Cup and Women African nations Cup final referee. She had also had an impressive record at Jordan U-17 World Women Cup final tournament two years before. Lidya Tafesse is the second huge achievement of Ethiopian Football at international stage next to the renowned referee Bamlak Tesema appointed to take the whistle at Russian World Cup final.
Referees and assistants at the upcoming Fifa U-20 Women’s World Cup final are also candidates to officiate at Fifa World Women Cup final in France next year.

Ethiopian international Oumed Oukri leads the Egyptian side Samoha SC in a knock-out Cup final showdown against mighty Zamalek. The 27 year-old striker became the first ever Ethiopian footballer to play in a Cup Final since Salhadin Said who appeared in a Cup final with Wadi Dagela in 2013.
After crushing out the Premier League champion Al-Ahly out of the semifinals, Alassiouty SC was the hot favorite to go through the Cup final, Oumed spear headed by Samoha stirred a major upset on Tuesday sending out the favorites after a 4-3 penalty shootout victory. Though the Gambella born striker missed two golden chances to scroll his name on the score board, he tormented Alassiouty defense for eighty minutes before substitution.
Samoha’s Cup final adversary is the 23 times Cup winners Zamalek that reached for the final phase destroying Ismaily to 4-1 semifinal victory. Just eight years in the upper echelon but going stronger by the years Samoha nick named “The Blue Waves” is considered the underdogs with African giants Zamalek the favorite to lift the coveted trophy.
The former Mekelakya and Saint George attack Oumed has been in Egyptian Premier League since 2014 appearing to four sides: Al-Ethad Alexandria, ENPPI, El-Harby and in his current club Alexandria based Samoah. Eleven goals in to his name including five this season, Oumed stands the second highest scorer of Samoah next to each eight goals heroes Hossam Hassan and Mohammed Hamdi Zaki.
Al-Ahly retained the 2017-18 Egyptian Premier League title for fourth consecutive seasons followed from far by Ismaily, AlMasery and Zamalek respectively. Samoha finished fifth with 51 points.

Genzebe Dibaba and Hellen Obiri headline a titanic matchup in the Prefontaine Classic women’s 5000m, the third stop of the 2018 IAAF Diamond League, on 26 May.
Obiri won last year’s World Championships and IAAF Diamond League Trophy in the 5000m, but Dibaba has come back from an off year with an historic 1500/3000m double-gold performance at the World Indoor Championships in March. They are two of only five women to break 14:20 in the 5000m and both have set multiple Pre Classic records.
Their clash of skills includes speed – Dibaba owns the 1500m world record – and they will have unique company in Dutchwoman Sifan Hassan, last year’s world leader in the 1500m who won gold at the 2016 World Indoor Championships and now trains in Oregon. This will be the first time all three will race together at the 5000m distance.
Dibaba, 27, won the 5000m in Eugene for the second time by over 10 seconds. In 2015 she outran the pacesetters and clocked 14:19.76, the fastest ever run in the U.S.
Obiri, 28, is the Kenyan record holder in the 5000m, an event she took up seriously only after childbirth in 2015. Her career best of 14:18.37 puts her at No. 5 on the all-time world list. Last month she won the Commonwealth Games 5000m but was a distant 14th in the Doha 3000m last Friday.
As usual, the Pre Classic women’s 5000m also brings an exciting cross-section of talent from around the world. Amongst these great world athletes the Ethiopian contingent includes Letesenbet Gidey, 20, who made the powerful national squad as a teenager last year, finishing 11th in London. She lowered her 3000m best to 8:30.96 for fifth last Friday in Doha. Gudaf Tsegay, 21, was announced earlier as part of the 1500m field, but has switched to the 5000m for her track debut at the distance. The youngest in the field is 19-year-old Fantu Worku who’ll be debuting over the distance. She was the national 1500m champion last year and more recently finished sixth in the world indoor 3000m.