By Isaac Akugizibwe

KIU, Main Campus - Four months after receiving a FIFA badge authorising him to officiate international matches, KIU Sports Tutor, Joel Munyendoh will start a new journey at the center of the pitch when he takes charge of the beach soccer semifinals on Saturday 25th June 2022.

This will be the first time Joel is taking charge of a competitive match since he earned the FIFA license at the end of February. He will be the center referee for both semifinal matches this weekend with KIU playing Buganda Royal University and St Lawrence vs Makerere University Business school (MUBS) in the other match.

When asked why he was chosen, the less spoken Munyendoh said, that FUFA might have considered his hard work, commitment, and knowledge of the game. "You have to be fit, hardworking, and very professional to give you chance to officiate a game at that stage," he said.

Munyendoh is still in line to officiate the final of the beach soccer league as well but his dream is to take his craft beyond the Ugandan and perhaps the East African borders.

"I am working hard and doing my best to remain fit because fitness is one of the prerequisites needed for one to officiate national and international matches," he noted. My dream is to officiate at the International level but I have to first make a breakthrough at the continental level," he disclosed.

Mashood Ssali (soccer) and Brian Emmy Nsubuga (futsal) are the other individuals from KIU who also graduated with FIFA Refereeing badges, an achievement that licences them to officiate anywhere in the world.