Tue, 30 Nov, -0001
Nyon: Asian Football Confederation Referees Department officials are taking part in a Confederations Meeting for Referee Development organised by UEFA at its headquarters in Switzerland
The meeting enables AFC officials to meet their counterparts in UEFA to discuss referee development as well as areas of possible cooperation and collaboration between the AFC and UEFA.
The five-day visit began with UEFA Chief Refereeing Officer, Pierluigi Collina, briefing the delegates on UEFA’s refereeing services such as organisational structure, operations, management and the assessment of referees.
Miguel Solis, UEFA Refereeing Development Manager, then gave a presentation on database tools such as FAME and the UEFA Referee Network. He also explained and shared the essence of the UEFA Referee Convention which compelled UEFA Member Associations to follow a streamlined pattern of administration and organisation as decreed by UEFA.
UEFA’s Head of Refereeing Services Chris Wild provided an overview of refereeing courses in UEFA and explained how video material is collected. He also briefed the delegates on the history and criteria of the different courses available in UEFA CORE (Centre of Refereeing Excellence), a special development programme developed by UEFA and aimed at young referees and assistant referees.
The delegates were also given an opportunity to observe how UEFA conducted a CORE introductory course for young referees and assistant referees who have the potential to become international referees in the near future. The delegates observed the first four days of the 10-day course which involved theoretical, practical, game assessment, character building, motivation and goal setting sessions.
UEFA is offering Confederations the chance to participate in their refereeing development programmes, and the visit to Switzerland will bring about more collaboration, as well as the sharing of ideas and experiences, between UEFA and the AFC.
Along with the AFC, representatives from two other Confederations, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) were present. The programme began on October 14 and ends on October 18.