Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Asian Football Confederation General Secretary Dato’ Alex Soosay has reiterated the football body’s commitment to supporting the development of referees.
Twenty-six men, three women and four futsal referees finished their AFC Development Group Referees Course in the Malaysian capital city on Tuesday.
“This course is an important initiative taken by the AFC and the AFC Referees Committee,” said Dato’ Alex in his closing remarks. “A lot of effort has been put into selecting the candidates who will become AFC referees.
“Our referees are doing well in the world and have set a benchmark. Yuichi Nishimura of Japan refereed the FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 opening match while Uzbekistan’s Ravshan Irmatov established a record for the most appointments at a World Cup.
“You have been picked not by chance, but because you have some talent. We will groom and train you. We will invest to prepare and select the best. To those not selected, do not be disheartened. You just have to work a little harder to improve yourselves. To those who are selected, you now have a target.
“We are here to support you. We will not compromise on quality. We have the best instructors here to help develop you. This is to ensure that we have the best referees ready to perform at their best.”
The course was divided into two separate areas, football and futsal. The outstanding participants will be selected to be listed as AFC referees.
The participants were evaluated through several activities that involved theories, practical and physical fitness. Their ability to communicate and present ideas in English, general attitude and discipline were also looked at.
The entire process is in line with the AFC's desire for officials with an all-round package that will reflect an image of referees with high quality.