Local football referees will have a chance to enhance and upgrade their referee knowledge and skills when they attend the FIFA refereeing course in Port Vila this week.
The week-long course began yesterday and was attended by football referees from all the affiliated leagues within the Vanuatu Football Federation (VFF).
Thirty Seven male and female referees from all over the country attended the course at the Le Meridian Resort and participants will have the chance to learn from two FIFA referee instructors.
The two FIFA instructors are Massimo Raveino from Tahiti who is the Chairman of the Oceania Referee Committee and Neil Poloso from the Solomon Islands.
The Chairman of the Vanuatu Referee Standing Committee Albert Manaroto acknowledged the course and said it would be really beneficial to the standard of football refereeing in Vanuatu. He said the demand for higher and better refereeing in leagues around the country is of concern.
Mr Manaroto thanked the participants for taking their time to attend the course and has called on them to keep up their commitment towards building football in the country in line with FIFA standards.
“When we invest in someone you must make use of the skills and talents you learn through such courses this week and in the future. This is how we can work together to build football in our communities, islands and country,”said Manaroto
In his opening remarks at the opening ceremony of this week’s course, Mr Raveino thanked the VFF management for its cooperation with the world football body FIFA in organising the course and making it a reality for Vanutu.
He further acknowledged the welcome the Vanuatu football family had given in welcoming them into the country, which he described as an honour for them.
“On behalf of FIFA we would like to thank VFF and football fans in Vanuatu for welcoming us into your country and for VFF’s cooperation and commitment in organising such training for our local referees,” Mr Raveino said.
Raveino who is also a former international FIFA referee has encouraged each participant to help build the development of referees within their own communities after completing their course this week.
“All of you have travelled from your islands to attend this course and after this week you will be regarded as the best referees of this country. I hope you will always shine in your areas to protect VFF’s interests and to make sure we reach the target of VFF’s wish for professional referee’s skills in the future,” he said.
The FIFA Instructor who just completed a weeklong FIFA course on Futsal Refereeing in Santo last week said this week’s FIFA course will also be an opportunity where participants and instructors will share and learn from each other on how to improve the refereeing skills, attitude and behaviour required to become good referees. The course will end on Friday.
Story provided by Florence Kuali-Iautu, Daily Post