It’s a Friday! And it’s the 1st of July 2022, exactly six months since FIFA referee Ronald Madanda was ‘sent so far away from football’.
Madanda was ‘sent home’ for six months for his poor officiating in the aborted Onduparaka vs KCCA StarTimes Uganda Premier League (UPL) game at the Greenlight stadium in December 2021.
Following Madanda’s ‘questionable’ decisions in the game including two penalties in Arua, the game was abandoned, the ref was suspended, and a rematch was ordered.
The Referees Disciplinary Panel found that Madanda failed to justify the poor officiating which gravely affected the match. He was thereby suspended from officiating football at all levels until 30th June 2022 for unjustified poor officiating.
In accordance with the FUFA Ethics Code, Madanda would’ve been dealt with more severely had the Investigation Chamber established that his incorrect decisions were also intended to influence the results of the game.
Before all those regrettable consequences followed Madanda’s actions, he was regarded ‘one of the best referees’ to emerge from this generation.
His gestures portrayed ‘another upcoming international referee’.
At only 29 now, the young, towering and vibrant referee commands actions on the field of play with authority and confidence.
All that comes so natural for Madanda – he’s destined for greatness.
“He will go very far with his good qualities,” people have been predicting.
That’s perhaps why he was always an easy pick for the big stage – he has always been a familiar face in the big games.
With great authority comes huge responsibility, no wonder Madanda was assigned to take charge of the ‘tricky’ Onduparaka-KCCA affair in Arua that troubled him.
181 days after, fresh from a half year suspension, Madanda is back in time for the StarTimes Uganda Premier League (UPL) that is planned for kick off in September – two months from now.
Popularly known as ‘official’ around Mbale, the referee has been seen there in dropping sweat in the gym and on the road – training like a beast – anticipating a grand return to football.
Today is the start of a new month which as well marks the beginning of the second half of this year, and it’s also a whole new beginning for Madanda to once again start chasing his ‘international’ dream.
