PNGFA and the football family of Papua New Guinea is in mourning following the death of one of its youngest refereeing talents.
Leslie Auis passed away after collapsing in the field while being an assistant in the 2006 NSL semi- finals at the LFA Park in Lae last Saturday.
He was taken to the Angau Memorial Hospital but pronounced dead by the doctor at arrival.
Leslie was a lover of the game at an early age before he joined the Technical group in his Local Association (LFA) and then later became a well recognised level 4 referee of PNGFA after attending refereeing courses.
Just recently Aius passed the FIFA referee fitness test and was select by PNGFA for FIFA referees nomination for 2007.
However, Aius’s untimely death has shocked PNGFA executives, secretariat staff, colleagues, the local football community. Aius’s family and relatives are reeling from the loss.
Aius was currently in his late 20s taking up a new task assisting in the PNG NSL semi-professional completion upon selection by NSL.
Leslie Aius’s death is a big loss in soccer to PNGFA and the soccer Family in Papua New Guinea. We mourn this great loss.