Jérôme Efong Nzolo Fails Physical Tests, Faces Uncertain Future in Belgian Top Flight
Jérôme Efong Nzolo, Belgium’s four-time Best Referee winner and 2013 recipient of the “Best Whistle of the Year,” may miss officiating in this season’s Jupiler Pro League. The Belgian-Gabonese referee failed the mandatory physical fitness tests required for refereeing in the top division.
Nzolo, 39, had already failed the initial fitness test in July and was retested on Monday alongside colleague Christof Virant. Both referees did not pass the repeat tests, confirmed Frank De Bleeckere, Talent and Elite Referee Manager at the Belgian Referee Union.
Nzolo revealed that an injury forced him to withdraw during the repechage test, saying, “I injured myself during the tests. I felt a violent pain behind my buttock and I couldn’t continue.” He expressed frustration over the media’s incomplete reporting of this context, stating, “If you tell a story, you have to tell it completely. It’s very hurtful.”
While the setback puts their officiating status in jeopardy, De Bleeckere noted that a final decision is pending. “They will remain without whistles for a certain period. The Referee Office will review their cases and decide whether to grant them a third chance.”
