African football governing body, CAF, has opted to replace South African referee Victor Gomes with Cameroonian referee Alioum Alioum for the Africa Cup of Nations final between Senegal and Algeria.
Gomes had been chosen to oversee the game but according to sources, the backlash that he received after he made a controversial call in a game involving Ghana and Tunisia in the Round of 16, resulted in the changes.
Alioum, 36, an Air Force Officer in his native Cameroon, will take charge of the showdown between the Lions of Teranga and Desert Foxes which brings down the curtain on the 32nd edition of the flagship continental championship.
He will be assisted by fellow compatriots Evarist Menkouande and Eric Guy Nguegoue. The fourth official will be Eric Amoud Otogo Castane from Gabon.
During the 2019 AFCON, Alioum officiated the opening match between Egypt and Zimbabwe, which ended 2-1 in favour of the hosts.
Despite his young age, Alioum is one of the most experienced referees on the elite panel of match officials having officiated at the last four editions of the Africa Cup of Nations – 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2017.
A regular face amongst the knights of the whistle on the continent, Alioum also participated in the FIFA World Cup in Brazil in 2014.
The tournament’s final is scheduled to take place on Friday in Egypt’s Cairo International Stadium starting at 21:00 CAT.
