African Pioneers Reflect on Historic Appointments
Ghana and Kenya's lead match officials recently returned from a historic assignment in Italy, where they officiated all three matches of the European Championship C tournament. This week-long deployment was part of IRL's strategic efforts to enhance technical education, which began earlier this year with pioneering coaching and officiating courses in Ghana, Nigeria, and Kenya.
The broad initiative aims to elevate technical standards across member nations, safeguard the sport's authenticity, and is backed by ongoing investments in advanced development and learning tools.
Groundbreaking Officials' Experience
Marshall Nortey from the Rugby League Federation Ghana and Brian Odiwuory from the Kenyan Rugby League Federation became the first African officials appointed at an official competition. Both served as touch judges and fourth officials during the triangular tournament held in Udine, featuring the Italian hosts, Ukraine, and Greece.
The assignment provided them with exposure to a fully professional environment under the guidance of French referee Enzo Peyre. They both identified gaining a better understanding of game management as their most valuable lesson.
“Officiating at Euro C sharpened my focus on calm, decisive game management,” said Nortey. “The experience taught me that small adjustments in communication and positioning create big improvements in match control — lessons I’m excited to pass on across Ghana and the wider MEA region.”
Summary
This deployment marks a significant milestone, boosting African refereeing standards and fostering knowledge exchange that will advance rugby league officiating throughout the region.