KOHIMA — Mechievilie Yashu, the first national football referee from Nagaland, has emphasised the urgent need for the state to produce more referees to compete with other states.
Yashu, who hails from Dihoma village under Kohima district, shared this during an interview with Eastern Mirror.
He reiterated the importance of nurture younger referees to ensure the state's growth in the sport. He also advised aspiring referees to remain disciplined, work hard, and stay focused on their goals.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) announced on June 16 that Mecievilie Yashu from Nagaland has qualified to be a national referee (Level 5) after successfully completing all four examinations - fitness, theory, practical, and viva.
This announcement was made through a letter from Suresh Srinivas, Director of State Referees, and Yashu holds RIN number 120013.
Yashu remarked, "Aspiring referees should support each other because our state is lagging behind in producing national football referees."
"I hope that in a few years, more people from our state will become national referees," he added.
Before becoming a referee, Yashu actively participated in various football tournaments, which made it easier for him to understand the game. He played for New Market XI, a renowned local team in the state capital, from 2003 to 2013.
He also participated in the Nagaland Premier League with Life Sports Football Club a couple of times while representing the under-21 squad from Nagaland in a Northeast-level football event.
"We should have a good understanding of the game to become a good referee," he said.
When asked how he maintains focus while officiating matches, the referee stressed on the importance of match preparations.
Regarding the key skills required to become a referee, he highlighted that fitness is paramount, along with a thorough understanding of the laws of the game among other essentials.
Yashu first appeared for the referee exam in 2011 in Kohima district, taking the fitness and theory exams. In 2018, he participated in another practical exam in Kohima, where he met Joychandra Singh, AIFF referee instructor and Zonal Referee Development Officer (ZRDO) for the North East Zone.
In 2019, he underwent the Referee Identification Number (RIN) exam conducted by AIFF, achieving level 8 in Itanagar.
Between 2000 and 2024, he successfully cleared exams for levels 8, 7, 6, and 5 outside of Nagaland.
He underwent a fitness test at the North East Zonal Fitness test for referees in Guwahati earlier this year, followed by practical and viva examinations.
Yashu shared that his interest in a refereeing career developed further through interactions with Singh when he visited Kohima between 2018 and 2019.
Starting to officiate in local tournaments around 2019, Yashu recounted how Singh provided guidance and suggested specific topics for him to study in preparation for referee exams.
He mentioned that his family and friends have been supportive both emotionally and financially, especially during the later stages of his exams.
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