The former referee died at the age of 63 on Thursday night after being admitted to hospital on October 15, a day after serving as a match commissioner during a NFD game between Black Leopards and Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila in Thohoyandou.
“Ian was a perfect gentleman, never angry with anyone and always smiling. He will be extremely missed by the entire football family. We are really saddened by the passing away of Ian,” said Mumble.
McLeod was the first South African to officiate at a FIFA World Cup in 1998 in France. After hanging up his whistle, he continued to serve the sport. At the time of his death, he was involved with the CAF club licensing instructors and acting as SAFA’s head of referees.
McLeod was responsible for the appointment of all of the lower divisions’ match officials and was in the process of putting together a panel of officials to handle indoor and five-a-side football.
“This is a huge loss and the void left will be difficult to fill,” added Mumble.
“I had known Ian for over 20 years we travelled together when we were doing the club licensing courses on the continent. This man was a gentleman through and through. We have lost an asset as a country. May his soul rest in peace.”
- WAS A SOUTH AFRICAN FOOTBALL REFEREE
- HIS OTHER OCCUPATION WAS AS A HEADMASTER IN SCHOOL TEACHING – HE WAS AT CRAWFORD COLLEGE UNTIL HIS PASSING
- BECAME A FIFA REFEREE IN 1993
- IN 1996 HE WAS SELECTED FOR THE AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA – HE OFFICIATED IN THE CLASH BETWEEN ALGERRIA AND SIERRA LEONE (ALGERIA WON 2-0) PLAYED ON 18 JANUARY 1996
- HANDLED TWO MATCHES IN THE 1998 AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS TOURNAMENT IN BURKINA FASO – GHANA vs TUNISIA (9 JANUARY 1998) AND COTE D’IVOIRE vs EGYPT (21 FEBRURY 1998)
- WAS AT THE 1998 FIFA WORLD CUP IN FRANCE – TAKING CHARGE OF THE 0-0 DRAW BETWEEN SPAIN AND PARAGUAY IN GROUP D ON 19 JUNE 1998 PLAYED AT STADE GEOFFROY-GUICHARD IN ST. ETIENNE
- AFTER RETIREMENT FROM ACTIVE REFEREEING, IAN ASSISTED COSAFA AS A MATCH COMMISSIONER – HE OVERSAW THE COSAFA CASTLE CUP GROUP C SEMI-FINAL FIXTURE BETWEEN BOTSWANA AND NAMIBIA IN JULY 2007
- HE WAS ALSO CHAIRMAN OF THE SAFA TECHNICAL COMMITTEE