Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Dubai: The AFC Men Referees & Assistant Referees Course 2016 (Group 3) came to a successful conclusion in Dubai on Saturday.
Group (3) is the third in a series of four courses for AFC Men officials. Earlier in the month, two courses for men officials and another two courses for futsal refereeing officials were conducted in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur.
Some 18 Referees and 26 Assistant Referees participated in the five-day course, which started on December 8 and which included theoretical and practical sessions plus the annual fitness test. The YOYO intermittent recovery test was used to assess the match officials’ fitness before they are given appointments for the 2016 season. Simulated match incidents were also created in practical sessions with instant feedback provided through video recording on the field itself.
FIFA/AFC Instructors, Ali Altraifi, Farkhad Abdullaev and Ismail Alhafi were in charge of the technical aspects, while C. Ravichandran and Alejo Perez managed fitness matters.
AFC Referees Committee consultant, General Farouk Bouzo, who was on hand to observe the course, commended the instructors who he said had used modern techniques and approaches while delivering the course content. He also conveyed his appreciation to the host Member Association, the United Arab Emirates Football Association, for their support and excellent arrangements prior to and during the course.
Speaking at the closing, Hany Ballan, Deputy Chairman of the AFC Referees committee, stressed that while the AFC is committed to provide the best in training and education for those attending, the participants themselves have a responsibility to improve and to then produce excellent performances.it.
"The AFC is now aiming for excellence and good is not enough", said Hany. He urged the participants to embrace the course's theme - “A Passion For Excellence" - and to strive to achieve it.
The collaboration between the AFC and the UAE FA has been an annual event, and one that the AFC sees as a step forward in the development of football in Asia - not only in terms of refereeing, but also in the general growth of football.