Lahore, 17 Feb : Over the next three days, thirty of Pakistan’s football referees will be involved in intense training at the Punjab Stadium, Lahore as the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) and the Pakistan Football Referees Association (PFRA) in association with the world governing body for football, FIFA, hosts five-day FIFA Member Association Elite Referees Course at Lahore.
The objective of the course which started last night at FIFA Football House is to enhance the local referees’ knowledge of the game and to effect greater uniformity and higher standards of performance at the regional and international levels.
While given the message at opening ceremony, PFF’s President Faisal Saleh Hayat stated that it was heartening to see officials of different sports disciplines being constantly updated and tested to ascertain their level of understanding of the game. “the course was most welcome since the referees are preparing to go in action at Pakistan’s biggest football events – Pakistan Premier Football League 2009,” said Faisal.
According to PFF Referee Manager Rauf Bari, FIFA Refereeing Instructor Masoud Enayat is concentrating hard on FIFA Laws of the Game (Laws 11 and 12) which have the game’s most important and controversial laws. FIFA Regional Development Officer Mohamed Muhiseen Ariff (Sri Lanka) is also at Lahore to make the Course more attractive.
In Law 11, on 19 February, they will be looking at the “Off Side” play which Masoud says is always a major issue whenever a referee makes the call. They will also focus on such topics as gaining advantage, interfering with play and interfering with an opponent.
While giving lecture about Law 12 today, he says, this Law basically deals with discipline and they will be paying keen attention to see how the local referees react to these rules since they will have a question and answer segment after a video simulation. This will see them looking at serious foul play, violent conduct, unsporting behavior and reckless challenges.
Apart from their knowledge enhancement, the fitness of the referees will also be examined. Arif informed that such course is very essential for the sport of football. He stated that it was very important that the referees who are enforcers of the laws of the game be given constant updates and a chance to better themselves since it is only then the sport can be properly officiated.
Schedule for coming three days
18 Feb : Discussion on Law 12 (Part I-Fouls), Analysis of Match Incidents (Part-II), Discussion on Law 12 (Part II-misconduct, Video Clips), Practical Session (Law 12- Fouls)
19 Feb : Discussion on Law 11 (Offside) with Video Clips, Law 14 (Kicks from penalty-mark), Practical Session (Offside)
20 Feb : Physical Fitness Test, New Video Test, Questions & Answers,
Closing Ceremony