 Thank you very much, Master of Ceremonies. It is at this point that I'd like to now ask Mr. Sikazue facing you the media to tell you why he has brought us here, or why this briefing. Like I said earlier, there are a lot of speculations, and let's hear it now from the horse's mouth. I'd like to give this floor to Mr. Sikazue to just address us. Thank you very much. First and foremost, let me thank the office of the first president and thank you all of you guys who come here to hear from the horse's mouth. Now, I wanted to even to tell my manager to say, in the first place, I'm not the horse on a lighter month. Well, I know a lot of people have been like talking on social media, and they have been like giving reasons why Johnny has decided to retire. Well, I didn't just decide to retire some two days ago. It was even before I went for the World Cup, but you people, you didn't know about that. First of all, I even received a call from our new director of referees at CAF asking me to say, hey, what are you thinking about? Then I told him to say, after a World Cup, this is what I'm thinking about. I think I'll hang up my boots and see what I can do with other things. Then he told me to say, okay, fine. If that is your decision, you write us a letter. So I wrote in my letter. I wrote CAF a letter, CC Fuzz, and they received that. That was before the World Cup. So people have been like giving reasons why John has decided to retire. I think last night I was reading some comments. Some people were saying, I think he has got a lot of pressure. I don't know which pressure they're talking about. So those are the things I was like, okay, people can talk whatever they want to talk. But let me tell you, I decided to do that even before the World Cup. So I went to the World Cup. I went to Qatar. Whereas I've already written the letter. Even the time I did all my duties at the World Cup, I met our big bosses at FIFA. The referee's manager there, the director of refereeing, Corina. I told them to say, this is my view. And this is what I'm thinking. And after this, I'm hanging up on the boards. So they knew that even before you people had to start giving your own reasons. But it's normal. I wouldn't say you were wrong to give all those reasons. But I'm saying it's normal. So I decided that before I went for the World Cup. The reason is very simple. Because when I ask the age of you people here, like my brother who is here, how old are you, my brother? Approaching 30. He's approaching 30. You see? But when you look at him, you may say maybe they are of the same age. Long time ago, when you were at FIFA, the retirement age was 45. And I'm just remaining with one year to get to that. So that's a problem. So why can't I give a chance to the young ones? We have just entered the World Cup. And do you know what they say? The final whistle of the World Cup starts the new project of the new referees who are supposed to go for the World Cup for years. That's what they say. So whoever was watching the World Cup, that final whistle was the beginning of the new project for the FIFA World Cup candidates for the next World Cup. So when you look at me, are you sure I should focus on the next World Cup? I love that love. Because you already see to say, hey, this guy, I think. So why should I go on when I have the young ones who should come? Long time ago, here in Zambia, big people here will bear me witness. We had six slots for FIFA referees. Now it has reduced to four. If this time around, Jan was one of them on the FIFA panel. Meaning that we're only going to have only three guys who may be saying, OK, fine, we may target on another project. But Jan, I would have taken a place for somebody. So I decided to say, why can't I leave a space for another person? Because I've got only a year, I mean. I've done two World Cups. I've done World Cup under 20. I've done World Cup under 17. I've done five Afghans. I've done a lot of championships. I've done FIFA Club World Cup. All those. When I ask the nation to say, what else do I need? If I ask you journalists here to say, what else do I need? Who can answer me? Yes. What else? Impacting your knowledge to the young ones. Thank you, my brother. If it is the impacting of knowledge to the young ones, then I don't need to be on the panel this year. I should get back to the other side, then I impact the knowledge. Because once I'm within the group of FIFA referees, then I've got no opportunity to impact that knowledge. We're going to have other instructors who will be saying, hey, what is Jan doing here? This is the group of instructors. He's still active. So how am I going to impact knowledge to the young ones? So it means that I have to leave one thing and go to the other part of the world. Then I'm able to say, okay, fine. I think this is now the time for me to impact knowledge to the young ones. The time I started the refereeing, this is my 23rd year. Can you imagine? So if somebody was born on that year, it must be 23 years, like in Bappe. You get it. That's my refereeing career. Bappe is 23 years now. 24. 24. Okay, fine. Close. Okay. So I qualified as a referee in 1999. So I'm talking about 23 years now. Now, I'll tell you to say 16 years putting on that white badge is not a joke and breakable. No, no, no. 16 years consistent. That badge was here. Now, putting on that badge for 16 years, I don't need four years to come again. You want me to go to 20 years putting on that badge? The people of Ziyan that I know, other people are saying, oh, Johnny's young. You get it, eh? Johnny's young to retire. Our last born in our family is in the 40s and she's there. She's there. She's working for ZMBC. She's there. If I thought she was a referee, I would have said you have to retire as well because you are in 40s. So I'm getting old. In life, what is important is when you start something, you need to set some goals. What do you want to achieve in whatever you want to do? So I started refereeing and I had some targets. I need to do this. I need to do this. The first target was to break a record in refereeing of Zambia. Somebody in 1975, when I was in there, that was the record that the referees in Zambia were having. 1975, I think some of you, I don't know where you were because I wasn't there as well. Maybe my boss here, yes, he was there. Yes, for sure I was there. But it took John to come and break that record. From that, then I decided to break my own record again. Two Oscars is not a joke, but I'm proud that the list of Zambian panel today, we've got the new guys who have come, some 29 years managers somewhere there. Those guys have got future. When I talk about 20, 30 years, I'll look at those. What it is that when somebody goes on the panel, you are not going to have one year, you are going to have a call. That would be a lie. You need about three, four years experience. Cuff gives you this. They look at you. Is he able to do this? Okay, let's do this. And I've let you seem to say, John has been there. What is the next assignment in the northern part of Africa? Because that's where they test referees, if you didn't know. There it is tough. It's different from the southern part. Here I can go up. Somebody comes. It's quite easy. Go up there. So when you see another is in Morocco, another is in Morocco. They know to say these are tough tested guys, the rocks. So these guys who have come in, they've got all these years to make the grade which we need. And I decided to say, if I can give a space for these guys, that would be better. Because there's nothing else I'm looking for. There's nothing else I'm looking for. All the tournaments for FIFA I have done. Let's not talk about Zambia. I have done. Zambia, what do you expect from John? If I decided to do that, I would have done. And this coming, I would have gone. And that's a fact. I would have gone. But I said, it's okay. Let's have a space for somebody to come in. Let's have a space for somebody to come in. And let's see how we can groom these young ones. Let them come because they've got that zeal until they break my record. That's what I can say to the nation. So retirement, it means that somebody has gotten to the age to say, okay, fine, I think I've grown. Now I have to retire and leave space for others. But Zambians are now mixing the two ways. Retirement and resigning. If my VP here resigns, he must have some issues, some reasons. We're going to ask the VP, my VP, why have you resigned? No, there is pressure. No wonder he has resigned. Now me, I have retired. A lot of people have retired. So that's all. So all those comments that I've been seeing on social media, they are now mixing these two ways. They are taking it to say Jan Hazy resigned. No wonder they are giving all those reasons. No, Johnny, I think he has got pressure. I don't know which pressure they are talking about. Me, I've got no pressure. It's all smiles. It's all smiles. You get it. If at all there was something from the World Cup, I come, then I make a decision. As I said, era on. Then you're going to say, hey, there were some things which happened somewhere. As he came back, I think he now decided to do what? Retire. But I told the era on to say I retired even before I went for the world. He wrote people late. And I told you era on to say my director at CAF wrote me a letter. It was my referee manager here. My name was there. He's here. My name was there, but he called me Jan. I've seen your name here. And you're telling me this. So what are you telling us? So can we put you together with somebody? Maybe you're going to change your mind. I told him, don't put me with somebody. I'm not going to change my mind. After World Cup, I'm going to retire. Oh, if that was what you've decided, there's no problem. Write as a letter. Copy the FC. I said, I'll do that. And I did that even before I went for the world. I think I've explained a little bit. Maybe we can have other questions that can come. Then I can answer. Thank you very much for those not very brief remarks. But I think we needed to get into the details of some of these things here. As we open the forum, obviously I've spoken about a lot of things. I really request my colleagues from the press to really stick to what is important. I'm sure he has opened the whole, he has opened himself up. But I think let's interact. But let's bear in mind that we should stick to the business of the day. I invite questions, sir. Yes, sir. My name is Bakr Nyan. In 2018, we were there at the World Cup. And we have now retired after the World Cup. Do you think you are happy that you won't officiate one game? We expected more appointments before you retire. Well, stepping at the World Cup is what is important. It's not about officiating whatever game. The time I started referring, my late father told me to say, if you put money in front, you're not going to succeed. So for me, I eliminated the issue of money in my head. No wonder I think I've gone for two World Cups. So officiating one game at the World Cup, it doesn't matter. Because I don't enter into the referring politics. Because at whatever level you can talk about, there are politics. For somebody to get there, there are politics. I'll tell you how our director at FIFA is coming from Italy. When I tell you, do you know how many referees were there from Italy? Do you know how many video assistant referees were there? Then you start going through. Why John coming along from Zambia? Those are the questions that we can fail to answer. So we cannot try to go into politics and start saying, why am I having one game? What is important is selection. If you are selected, you are there. That's the most important thing. We tell ourselves to say, I'm here. That's what is important. If I go back, nobody can remove that history. They will say, Johnny went for Qatar 2022 World Cup. So whatever he did there, whatever, maybe one game, whatever, that history shall remain. The first question, I'm open. If the FA, through my reference manager here, few to say with Johnny's experience, he can help the young ones to come. I'm open to come in and help. Because what I've learned is a lot. In refereeing, I have seen, okay, I haven't been like too much, you know, trying to see who is doing this and the like. But when I'm free one weekend, I'm able to watch one game. Look at the, they take physical part of it to say it's like the main thing. They are missing something. To be physical fit in the refereeing, yes, it's cardinal. But it's not the most important thing, intelligence. They will tell somebody to say, you are good, but you are lacking intelligence. So for me, with the experience that I have, that's the part I can come in and just sharpen the guys who are coming up. Because we've got potential here in Sunday. When I looked at the four guys who are on the list, as FIFA referees, I'm not going to talk about their assistant. We've got potential. So the only part that we now need to help them is about how to use your. That's all. So me and my doors are open. If I talk, people need me to come in and share experience. Even at night you can call me. I'll be there. The second question. Of course, the highest there, of course, is reaching the world cup. That's the highest. Other people, I'll tell you one thing. There's a guy we were in Cameroon at the hotel. That guy was working there as a chef. So the company had to give to my compliments. You know, as a company, we were going to sponsor you and you to go to the world cup. We met there. He was just happy. You get my point. So just to get there, that's the highest. The lowest part is what happened. When I nearly died. Nearly died. That's the lowest. I've shifted West games where but I wouldn't consider that that is the the West. Okay, because that is part of the game. Okay, as a reference, but the West part is when I nearly died. The last I've gone. And why am I saying it's the West? It is because of people, especially Zambians. Instead of saying one way. He has got this career. Let's help him to get back and see how he can fly the flag of Zambia. They were passing very nasty comments. Where they say, no, he has disappointed us or whatever. All those comments, which I'm not going to mention because you know them because you are ready. You are generous. You understand. But it took somebody's heart. I said, okay, fine. I have to. Okay. My first game. I came back. My reference manager said, you know, go to, I think that was Monse. Choma. Oh, Choma. Sorry, managers. Choma, I went there. I knew to say, once I get there, this is what you're going to happen. I said, I'm going for home up. The time I went for home up. Somebody just messaged. They'll push up a five minutes. You get my point. Push up a five minutes. And this is what I expected. You get it. This is what I expected. Because already other people, when you read the social meters from that point, they said, with his career now, it's over. It's the end. People cannot tolerate this. It's the end. No, and I'm coming down. I was asking myself. Why do people now asking me when I said I've resigned. Now they're, hey, what is this? I said, hey, are you not the people we're seeing here? People are. I said, okay. So that is my worst part. I was like, hey, these people. Dr. Kabunga was my good friend. Where's he now? We have even forgotten about him. Gone so. And now would have said, journey's gone. Nothing. That's what it is. But I can just edge Zambians to say, please. Yesterday, you were unveiling the new coach. Sooner or later, we're saying, sooner or later, I'm telling the truth. I'm only going to add this. To Zambia Mokamapali, our new coach. Which is a very bad thing. We need to support. People are supposed to be there. They need support. We're going to have these young ones. They may not going to be strong like me. But if it will be just one blow and they'll be down. And what happened from there? You saw John on the list going to the World Cup. What happened? Then you say, hey, is it FIFA? You started stretching your head. And it was there. So whatever happened, I remember the time I went to Kukata. I was caught by these big people. Where they mentioned to say, it's just that the time things happened. They didn't come out quickly to say it was the heat stroke. If they did that, they would have. After officiating that game, you saw Belgium and Canada. The goalkeeper for Belgium came to me. I said, I'm happy I've seen you again. After what happened, I looked at him and said, my brother, I'm here. After the game, there was a final whistle. A lot of Zambians were waiting to say, hey. They were waiting. And the time I was warming up, I said, I know people at home, other people are waiting. That this time around, it will be 15 minutes. But I know to say, the God I save, who is there, each day that comes, it's a different day. They don't actually remember, but they don't carry in coke. That's what I know. We partially talked about it, but coach, two World Cups, not the main achievement. Yeah, I'm not a coach. I'll come up. Yes I'm done. Two World Cups, that's not the main achievement. From the referees that you've worked with, do you think we have somebody that can, in the next five or 10 years, be able to meet some of your achievements globally? Yes, we're going to have. But if they call, they're going to have a listening ear. These people you see here is our VP here. My president is not here, but he is here to represent my president as well. His manager is here, who is now representing the instructors that we have here in Zambia. If they're going to have a listening ear, we can have somebody to call there as soon as possible. But already, sorry, my brother, already, just some few months ago, I'll mention this, because I'm now not active. Somebody who is active today was trying to challenge Gladys Lengue, who has done a lot for this country, trying to tell her to say, who are you to advise me? I said, what? Gladys Lengue was my much commissioner. I was at Incana. I think I don't know which game, but I remember. She told me, just listen to this. So when I look at that, if we can have such referees who cannot listen to such instructors, because when I look at Gladys, who can talk? So if you are not going to have, people can listen, my brother. It will be difficult. It will be difficult. So if we're going to have somebody who are going to have patience, listen and wait. In three years' time or so, we'll see somebody trying to break my record. Two out-cups. We'll see. Super, super proud of you. I wanted to find out, you mentioned that you have a... Would you say that was your biggest moment in football? Do you have any other things you'd like to share with us? Secondly, I want to know how far or too close are we to, you know, having the next Jannisikas referees. And especially, as a vast technological wise, without seeing the VAR, seeing a lot of rules that are coming up, how far or too close are we to having another referee that can easily catch up with the universe of the game? Okay. Thank you so much, my brother. The first one. The Belgian goalkeeper I've mentioned about him is just because he mentioned my worst year, where I tried to appreciate what my brothers didn't do. So it's like touched me to say, hey, this guy is happy to see me here. That was just the only thing that touched me. Not because I've appreciated the game for him. I think twice now. Was that Kotoa? Yeah, Kotoa. Kotoa was with Rio Madrid. I appreciated the final. He was there. He was the goalkeeper. 2018 he was the goalkeeper for Belgium again. And for him to mention it now, it was something that had just touched me to say, what a distance for somebody just to appreciate that the guy is still standing and is able to whatever pressure. The pressure doesn't even come within our country, even outside. You get it. So for me to stand like that, I said, I really appreciate it. Okay. Second question. Where you say, do we see another John? My brother to tell the truth. Each and every individual is different. You will never see another John. It's me. It's me. If we're going to have another referee who should come, should make his own or her own history. They are there. Let's talk about this lady, Diana. She's another John. She's Diana. Simple. Diana. And she's making her own history. And she told you she'll be able, which I am pretty sure she's going to the World Cup. Sooner or later in January or so, because they're trying, when you see ladies in the men's competition, maybe you didn't know, it's just that they wanted them to gain the confidence to get to that level. Are they able to do this? Diana, she's going for, is it China? Yes, she's going for China. For men? Do we have men going for China? I love that smile. That gives me another picture. And how far or too close are we? In terms of the referees that we have, catching up with the new rules and the knowledge that has come? It's very soon. With the years coming in this office, our referee's manager here, he has already got the plan, which we may see within two years or so, we'll see somebody getting there, looking into the plan that he has. It's not my plan. It is in his office. But when I look at whatever is planning, we can see somebody. And the young ones whom we have on the panel right now, they've got that anger to get there. They're not just there to say, no, we are putting on the white badge, no. They've got that anger. That person can do it. We can also do it. So sooner or later, my brother, we can have somebody. Returning now, you don't have any referees that has been achieved, given what half of what you have. Don't you think you are leaving too much pressure to the upcoming referees to fill your place? Thank you so much. May I address you as Dan? Madame, there is a saying which goes like, the best dancer knows when to leave the stage. Not looking onto who is the next artist who's going to come. No. So, I've gone that way, because I know to say, if I can leave space for somebody who has caught enough time, we can have another chance to do maybe two or three World Cups. My friend from Gambia, Papa, this Qatar, 2022, was his third year. Why? Because he started at that tender age. He managed. Now, when we have somebody who is 39, for Cups to recognize him, maybe Kosafa, whatever, he will be 44 and he will be retiring. Then we're not doing anything. So, we're looking at whoever is here now. Yes, we can achieve that. So for me to retire this time around, that's the best way that I can help the young ones. Rather than I stay there, then it's never changed. Because whatever will come, I will be in Afghanistan. I told the other one. They will say, okay, we are having Afghanistan. Next, Jan is still on the panel. Bring Jan here. I would have gone. I would have been in the other world. Now Jan is not on the list. They will say, okay, we're not going to visit Afghanistan. Now who? So I have to leave space. I'll take the last two questions. So I want to find the question. Have you ever had differences where you thought in a particular match you could have done like that? Because anyone would like you to share the decisions that you made that you thought you could have made a better decision after one. And then secondly, to those that are coming, if there is openly go under a lot of scrutiny and pressure, what advice would you give them as they step out? Thank you so much, madame. The first one, for sure, I have encountered this question where I would say, I would have done much, much better. Okay? I'll give an example. I think it was same final, I think. If I'm not mistaken, I think that was in Tunisia where I was suspended. I was suspended for making that decision. Okay? My position in that particular game was after I watched the game, I said, I think if I had to take maybe two steps on the left, I would have gotten this decision correct. Okay? So I regretted there. I said, okay. I think I would have done better. So even when the suspicion came, I accepted it and said, okay, let it be. Because for me, when I look at it, I would have done better. That's just an example that I can give you because I received a suspicion later on that particular game. There are other games that I would also mention, but because of time, a lot of them, they are there where I would say, okay, this. The only thing that was helping me was I loved watching myself. Whenever there was a game, I would get the copy of the game, watch. When I see myself running, I feel proud. I said, yeah, this is what I need. You get my point. Then I'll go, why was I walking there? Okay, if they send me to Zesco next week, nah, I'm not going to walk. And it's a time hang up. Then you people will watch me. This guy, I think he's still energetic, he shouldn't die. I was just speaking with those lies. Okay, second question. It's about the upcoming. What was the... The upcoming, yes. No, I forgot. With the upcoming, there are a lot of pressure coming from different areas. Whether in Zambia, when you go out, there are a lot of them. You get it. For instance, you have been given a game to offshatter Sundowns by VP. Sundowns, you know to say, it's the presidency team. You get it. And you go there. So this is the thing I was mentioning earlier on to say, you must be intelligent. Politically wise, put it aside. Don't say, no, I'm here. This is the game. You're not going to achieve. So this is the time, other people, I used to get comments where I said, no, guys, I'm going to share with you. When he goes out, I'll share. It's about this. Okay. Today, my manager says, you're going for this game. Okay. So-called Debbie. Even you. You stand outside. When you go there, you say, okay, what is the strategy? What am I going to do? So this is what we want the young ones to also be now planning about the games. Once they do that, they're going to achieve. When I go to Kansanshi. Kansanshi. Okay. But when I go, okay, I know to say, okay, my manager already starts on the paper. Already. There's the paper. They'll be this. What kind of good language? I know that. Then I look at the paper. I tell my friend, I'm going. Look at this. Money. So you plan like that. So even the young ones, I always advance them to say, look at the game. Plan what I'm going to do. When my dad was alive, I was telling him to say, he tells me to say, which game are you going to play? Oh, power. You know how it will be? I said, I know. Then I tell you to say, I know it will be ready. I tell dad to say, my strategy is this, and you're going to see it. First tackle, it will be a yellow card. Bamboo. And for sure, I go. First tackle. Yellow card. And the player will be like, first foul, I said, move. That's what we want. It's not about the white badge. This is my advice that I can give to the young ones. Whoever has now come on the panel, I said, it's not about the white badge. It's about the authority, how you're going to do it. Strategically. You get it. So this is how our plan is. Thank you, madam. Very last question. Yes, my name is Brian Miller from US TV. I've got two quick questions. Yes. How would you rate the way referees have been prepared as compared to the European setup since you've been forced to that stage where we as a country know when we prepare our referees. And then the second and last question is, will we only see Janice because we're imparting knowledge and the ANRA is through FIFA or should we expect some sort of Janice because we're schooled of referees? Well, let me start the second question. We are not going to see Janice because the school of whatever referring now. There's nothing like that. Okay. The only thing that you may see if it will be there is Janice coming in and help the red ones impart knowledge and experience whatever experience that we've got whatever field we've gone to that is going to happen. So if I pass a lot of people have been asking me to say, are you able to open the referee academy? I was like, I think with referees we don't have such. We have a department at FIFA's and in each district we have referees. So we are going to have somebody from Chama. We're going to have Chama district and we've got the executive there. Those people who are interconnected with our office here under our referees manager Mr. Banda here, then we're going to see how we're going to help those people. Me, I'm coming from Salanga, Kapir. We call it Salanga. We have people and I'm so proud that we even have a lot of ladies coming in. So we are helping. So me, I'm there. I'm best there. So that is what we're going to do. Not John opening the academy. That cannot happen. We always work under Fuzz with our department of referees. The first question was how would you rate? The rating, yes. With the rating I know our friends there, they've got equipment. A lot of them. Currently in Africa we only have three now. We've got Morocco, we've got Egypt and we've got Tunisia coming in now using over the VR equipment. Cameroon, they were thinking on those lives. They may achieve, maybe next year, I don't know. It's very difficult in Africa to get to that way. Somebody was asking me a question. John, were you comfortable to have shared a word game at the World Cup? They consider a lot of things. Look at John. They'll say where is he coming from? He's coming from Zambia. Is he coming from Caperi? Which Caperi? So they will start looking for Caperi. You get it, huh? So, who has got more advantage? I've got my VP here who have shared games week in, week out with VR. And I've got John from Caperi who doesn't do that. They go to the World Cup. Who will be given the chance to do more games? I think that question can be solved. Even me, I cannot say I'm here. No, no, no. Let it be. These people have got that advantage. So, I don't know the future, but we hope we can get to that. I heard my president was also mentioning about it which I'm sure the FA our first here, they are also thinking towards that. But the part of training with players that we can do it. And my reference manager is already doing that. So the next half second half of the season which is coming, I think seven? Nine? Somewhere there. Okay? Our reference you will see them training and do it because we've got players here and for the instructors, they will do that and we will do all the trainings. But with the VR, it will be quite a very challenging thing where we will try to go here and there. But we'll see how we can work with the GSTV. We'll see. We'll see how we can work. If it is possible, then it will help our reference also of that knowledge. Because once we say we are working with this and we get the videos, it will help the reference to say, oh, this is what Zambia is doing. I saw one clip sorry. I saw one clip I think Mauritians, yeah, Mauritian reference. After they do the trainings, they make a video, it went viral and they say, oh, this is what Zambia is doing. So it means that they are a step fair than us, because we haven't produced anything. So sooner or later, because I know managers, we shared something, he said January, I've already put this and with what he told me, I know to say hey, Zambia is getting somewhere. So my brother, with your questions on the VR party to begin I think slowly to get to the point. But with these other things we are there. Thank you very much. I'm sure at some point you are worried you thought I was going to cut you but the subject that you raised at the end, I think my colleagues from the media have okayed the president speak about it and I don't think many of them believe that it's possible. That's why you saw me listening. Oh, sure. No, no, because I think I shared something with the president. So he said something I said, I heard about it because he told me. Yeah, sure, sure. We have ended on a very strong note. I would just ask the band of the Yopas close, then I think deep we didn't plan to keep you this long but thank you very much that you side through the whole session. We don't take your presence for granted. Thank you. All right. Thank you very much all of you. I think this was the time that you were waiting for. Journalists there were phone calls coming and also just trying to find out what is happening with Jenny and you've heard it from him and outside here now we are very clear all of us as to what the way forward is of Jenny.