Top Premier Soccer League referee Phillip Tinyani officially retires

✔ Fact Checked by TDPel News Desk

By Lola Smith

Published: March 2, 2022 | 2:42 PM

Top Premier Soccer League (PSL) referee Phillip Tinyani has officially retired from officiating at the highest level of SA football after failing fitness test.

Tinyani was a professional referee for 15 years between 2006 and 2021. However, the 47-year-old police officer couldn’t go beyond that 15 years after failing his fitness tests at the start of the season.

As a result, the South African Football Association (SAFA) couldn’t allow him to return to the pitch, be it in the DStv Premiership or GladAfrica Championship.

SAFA head of referees Abdul Ebrahim confirmed Tinyani’s retirement, saying they had plans for a second fitness test towards the end of 2021.

But that didn’t happen as he was involved in a car accident, and perhaps the reason Tinyani eventually gave up on returning to officiating.

“Phillip Tinyani has retired officially,” Ebrahim told Daily Sun.

“He will be missed. Many, many years in the panel speaks a lot. We hope to see him in another part of the refereeing over the next few months, year or two,” added Ebrahim.

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About Lola Smith

Lola Smith is a highly experienced writer and journalist with over 25 years of experience in the field. Her special interest lies in journalistic writeups, where she can utilize her skills and knowledge to bring important stories to the public eye. Lola’s dedication to her craft is unparalleled, and she writes with passion and precision, ensuring that her articles are informative, engaging, and thought-provoking. She lives in New York, USA.