DO YOU REMEMBER FOOTBALL REFEREE, MR YUSUF MOOLLA OF DURBAN

One of the sporting pioneers who played a pivotal role as a football referee and official in Durban in the 1940s to 1970s was Mr Yusuf Moolla. While researching my files of articles I had written while at the Durban Daily News between early 1973 and December 1980, I came across an article about Mr Moola. The article was published on September 19 1973. The article was about Mr Moolla, who was 68-years-old at that time, embarking on pilgrimage to Mecca in late September 1973 and also a visit to India and Pakistan. Mr Moolla, who was a football referee for 33 years, was president of the Durban Referees Association at this time. He told this journalist in an interview that he would be on tour for about seven months. During his trip to India and Pakistan, he said he hoped to learn more about refereeing and also to visit the villages of his ancestors in the state of Gujerat in India. If he was alive today, he would be 125-years-old.