OFC: Three match officials from the OFC have been appointed to the FIFA U-17 World Championship in Finland from 13-30 August 2003.
Referee Charles Ariiotima and assistant referee, Daniel Tauaroa, both from Tahiti, will join Vanuatu assistant referee, Gray Vuke, in Finland. It will be the first appointment to a FIFA tournament for the threesome.
The 37 year-old Ariiotima was last active at the recent South Pacific Games in Fiji. He was also appointed to other recent OFC tournaments and World Cup qualifiers such as the OFC U-17 Qualifying Tournament and the OFC Nations Cup 2002 in Auckland. In the latter tournament he was the man in the middle for the final between New Zealand and Australia.
The 35 year-old Tauaroa was last active at the 2002 OFC U-20 Qualifying (Group B) tournament in Fiji while Vuke, 34, was recently appointed to the OFC Women’s World Cup Qualifying tournament in Canberra in April this year. The trio have been on the FIFA referees list since 2000.
The 2003 FIFA U-17 World Championship will be the first time ever a match in a FIFA competition will be played on artificial turf. The Australia national U-17 team, which will be representing the OFC in Finland has already played on the surface after playing the hosts in a friendly international at Helsinki’s Töölö stadium in June.
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For more information, please contact:
Peter Rees
OFC Competitions/Media
Oceania Football Confederation
Ericsson Stadium
Penrose, Auckland
NEW ZEALAND
Tel: (+64) 9 525 8161
Fax: (+64) 9 525 8164
Mob: (+64) 21 189 3518 or 021 189 3518 (in NZ)
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.oceaniafootball.com