The FIFA ban on Kenya affected many people who work in the football ecosystem but for several Kenyan match officials who had been earmarked to do duty in the recently concluded World Cup in Qatar, the ripple effect was heavier to bear. Assistant referee Gilbert Cheruiyot and elite center referee Peter Waweru had been picked to officiate at the first World Cup held in the Middle East but did not travel after the country was suspended by FIFA due to government interference.Apart from missing out on an opportunity to rub shoulders with other elite referees as well as put Kenya on the world map, the two Kenyans lost an accumulative income of Ksh 11 million. Engin Firat to come with a new Assistant Coach for Harambee StarsBy being picked to travel to Qatar, the two match officials were each entitled to match fees totaling Ksh 4.5million. Another Ksh 1million each was to be paid to them five months before the tournament.According to Cheruiyot, it was a big loss for them personally and also for the country and called for better ways to deal with such matters in future so that innocent parties do not suffer.“It was a big loss for us. Apart from the guaranteed Ksh 4.5 million match fee, we were to receive another Kshn200,000 per month for five months prior to the tournament. This money was to be used to cover costs pertaining to our diet and local training as well specialized training in the gym,” he told Mozzart Sport.##NAJAVA_MECA_6978712##More painfully for Cheruiyot is the fact that his absence at the World Cup denied two other referees from Ethiopia an opportunity to travel to Qatar.“We usually travel as a pair and once I was knocked out, it affected the Ethiopians and they too lost out in a big way. However, I have not given up and I believe better days are ahead.”Peter Waweru is among center referees currently officiating at the Africa Nations Championships (CHAN) going on in Algeria.
