Accra, Jan 15, GNA - Ghana's prospect of having a referee at the FIFA 2010 World Cup looks bright following the short-listing of Assistant referee Haruna Ayuba.

Ayuba, 42, has been named in the prospective referees list pencilled for the first ever Mundial to be staged on the African soil in South Africa.

Albert Agbovi, Chairman of the Referees Appointment Committee of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) told GNA Sports in Accra that the list which includes some of the renowned globally acclaimed match officials has the Tamale-based assistant referee as the only Ghanaian. He said his outfit has received positive response from the world's soccer governing body, which makes Ayuba almost certain for the South Africa billed event.

"Ayuba took part in a refresher course for selected referees for the 2010 World Cup in Singapore last October. The indications are bright and we are hoping that he makes the final list." Agbovi said the inclusion of a Ghanaian among the shortlists for the world's biggest football event is a sharp contrast to the notion held by many local fans that the output of local referees is below par. Ayuba, a Physical Education teacher at the Zogbeli Junior High School in Tamale also told GNA Sports that he is relishing the opportunity to officiate at the World Cup.

"The World Cup is the biggest stage and it is the dream of every referee to grace it." Ayuba who officiated at the Ghana 2008 Africa Cup of Nations alongside Alex Kotey, is incidentally the only Ghanaian on the CAF Elite Referees team, which is made up of premier referees on the continent. Retired referees B.K. Dwomoh and Justice Yeboah are the only Ghanaians to have officiated at the World Cup since its inception in 1930. Dwomoh, a central referee was at Spain 1982 whilst Yeboah, an assistant was at the 18th edition in Germany in 2006. 15 Jan. 09