Referees boss

He cautioned that by entering the profession, the referees are now national officials. Hence they should stop supporting their clubs and exercise maximum impartiality. Lebotse was speaking at the closing ceremony of the four-day referees beginners course in Gaborone on Sunday. He said it is not easy to stop supporting a club but he asked the aspiring referees to try their best. He warned that stiff penalties will be taken against those who fail to abide by the rules.

He advised the referees to avoid accepting gifts from clubs unless they are deemed to be a token of appreciation in accordance with the relevant cultural norms. He told the referees to seek advice from the referees' commission if they are not sure about the gifts they are offered. Lebotse said that match officials should display sporting behaviour at all times in and outside the field of play.