Briefly: SOCCER

Abegga in South Africa RWANDA’s assistant referee Célestin Ntagungira, aka Abegga, arrived in Pretoria yesterday ahead of the 19th FIFA World Cup, set for June 11 to July 11 July 2010 in South Africa.

Thursday, June 03, 2010

RWANDA’s assistant referee Célestin Ntagungira, aka Abegga, arrived in Pretoria yesterday ahead of the 19th FIFA World Cup, set for June 11 to July 11 July 2010 in South Africa.

Abegga is one of eight African assistant referees set to officiate at the world football showpiece.

"It’s a dream come true and I want to do my best,” Ntagungira, who also officiated in the Angola Nations Cup said.

A combined total of 30 referees and assistants will take part in this year’s event.

Abegga, 40, who has been refereeing since 1997, took charge of his first international match in 2001. He has since officiated at various events including the 2006 and 2008 Africa Nations Cup, 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, 2007 Fifa Club World Championship in Yokohama and the 2010 Angola Nations Cup.

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