GC Foster salutes FIFA referee Nation

Humbled, honoured and appreciated, are the words Jamaica’s Oshane Nation used to describe how he felt, after being honoured by GC Foster College recently, for his achievements as an international FIFA referee.

Nation made history this year after becoming the first Caribbean referee, since Peter Prendergast in 2002, to be selected to officiate in a FIFA World Cup tournament.

He made his World Cup debut as a fourth official in the group stage game between Switzerland and Qatar, before subsequent appointments for Austria versus Jordan match, as well as the game between Paraguay and Turkey.

Nation, who previously officiated at the 2023 FIFA Under-20 World Cup and whose future ambitions includes being a central referee at the 2030 World Cup, said receiving the recognition from his alma mater filled him with pride and appreciation.

“Thanks to the GC Foster family for acknowledging my achievements over the past years. I feel humbled. I feel honoured. I feel appreciated to be recognised.

“So, kudos to the GC Foster family, the mecca of world class coaches and teachers and all sports related professions,” he commented.

Meanwhile, Caroney Gregory, marketing and promotion officer, pointed to Nation’s rise through the ranks of officiating, before taking his seat among his international peers.

She said Nation, a physical education teacher, is a role model to his students and an inspiration to other GC Foster College students who don’t want to limit themselves to just one professional field.

“Students see him as a role model and this is a career path that we are encouraging for our students so they can become dynamic and spread their wings,”it’s also to let them know they can benefit from this, “ she stated.

Nation and Clive Walters, the two honourees at the inaugural GC Foster College Academic Awards Ceremony, on the day, are the first in a line of past students the college will be seeking to honour for their accomplishments.

“This is the first one. It is our first academic awards ceremony. It is the first we are honouring our past students and the two first recipients are Clive Waters and Oshane Nation.

“Recently we did something with Davion Ferguson and that was the first time of really reconnecting,” Gregory said.

She added that Nation has also benefited from being an international referee in more ways than one.

“He did not make it to the centre of the field, but he was an official at the FIFA 2026 World Cup.

“He is the second Jamaican to have gone to the World Cup, and we thought this was a great achievement not only for him but also for GC Foster College, because we know the institution would have contributed to his development by providing the foundation,” Gregory added.

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com