Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
London: AFC and the English Premier League (EPL) are looking forward to more cooperation in the future especially in the education and training of their referees.
During a visit to England by three referees from the AFC Project Referees Batch 2008, Manager of EPL Referees Mark Riley said: “Both our organisations benefit from the continued cooperation and I am already looking forward to next year’s visit (from AFC).”
Manager of AFC Project Future Referees George Cumming said he was optimistic for the future of refereeing in Asia.
“The referees have had great benefit from this trip. We have some exceptional talent in Project Future and I am sure some will go on to referee at the highest levels in world football,” he said.
Fu Ming from China, Ahmed Al Kaaf from Oman and Ahmad A'Qashah from Singapore were the guests of the EPL referees during the trip from 15 to 22 January 2011.
During their stay at Warwick University, they had sessions on the field and in the classroom with the Select Referees and took in the Birmingham derby between Birmingham City and Aston Villa.
They also attended the meeting of the Birmingham District Referees Association on January 20, whose guest speaker was top referee Mark Halsey, who recently won his battle against cancer.
The Project Future Referees also mixed with top English referees, including Howard Webb who refereed the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final in South Africa, and benefitted from instruction sessions by Mike Riley and the EPL Training and Development Manager, Ray Olivier.
Fu Ming, now refereeing in the Chinese Super League, was enthusiastic about the visit.
“We have been given a great chance by AFC to develop our skills as referees and it is a wonderful opportunity to come to England and to taste so many aspects of football in England,” he said.