Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: The first ever development course for referee fitness instructors has kicked off in the Malaysian capital city attended by eight Referee Fitness Coaches from six AFC Member Associations.
The AFC Referee Fitness Instructor Development Course was the last component of the AFC Annual Refereeing Seminar 2016.
The participants were existing AFC Referee Fitness Instructors and also potential instructors who were identified through regional courses for referee fitness instructors conducted in 2015.
The main objective of the programme was to develop the participants’ potential and create a pool of qualified referee fitness coaches who could be later drafted into the AFC Panel of Referee Fitness Instructors.
Director of the AFC Referees Department Shamsul Maidin stressed that fitness instructors play a key role in the development of referees.
“Referees must have the appropriate fitness levels to complement their technical competence in order to officiate matches well,” he said. “A fit referee will not only ensure that he is able to follow play and be at the appropriate place at the right moment to make decisions but also portray a good image.”
The course is being conducted by FIFA Referee Fitness Instructors Alejo Perez (Argentina) and C. Ravichandran (Malaysia). Perez, a renowned expert in referee fitness development, was pleased to have a qualified group of fitness professionals working with the referees in their own countries.
“The course participants already showed a high level of motivation and willingness to exchange knowledge and ideas, which is one of our main objectives,” he said. “The course is delivered in an interactive way, so that the course participants can share experiences and learn by doing. Our ultimate goal is to have a network of qualified and professional AFC fitness instructors who can deliver high-quality fitness programmes to AFC referees.”
Hani Ballan, Deputy Chairman of the AFC Referees Committee, visited the participants during the course and further stressed on the important roles fitness instructors play.
“Our achievement in the past is also tied to the fitness of our referees,” he said. “However, we need to move forward and analyse the areas that we can improve in further. Good fitness is not only important for the tests but it must also be reflected in the field of play.”
The five-day programme, to run until April 12, focused on theoretical and practical aspects related to the principles of referee fitness coaching and evaluation. There were demonstrations on how to organise and conduct referee fitness tests and training activities plus workshops on handling electronic equipment.
The participants were also introduced to new teaching materials from FIFA. They also presented reports on the annual referee fitness activities in their respective MAs. Opportunity was also given to participants to present case studies or findings from research that they may have conducted.
Photo: AFC