Bondo 'sprints' to the top

Officials hardly get the recognition they deserve, and one of them is football referee, Joshua Bondo. The Johannesburg-born referee is now considered amongst the best on the continent, featuring in every high profile tournament. From the COSAFA Cup, to CAF competitions and the World Cup qualifiers, the man nicknamed ‘Sprinter’ has done it all. All this achieved from his humble beginnings in Selebi-Phikwe where he started by handling amateur games.

Bondo has rode some stormy moments in his career, including allegations of head butting an Angolan player during a game, being expelled from the COSAFA Cup, and two controversial moments involving powerhouses; Nigeria against Zambia and Senegal versus Madagascar. Amid the swelling storm, Bondo has remained ice cool, and instead, has seen his profile soar on the continent.