The workshop was announced by FIFA late last year and is scheduled to take place from February 1-7 at the Fa’onelua Convention Centre in downtown Nuku’alofa.
The course will be conducted by the Oceania Refereeing Assistance Programme team, which consists of referee development officer Massimo Raveino (Tahiti), instructor Neil Poloso (Solomon Islands) and fitness trainer Kader Touati (France).
Participants from all eleven OFC member associations will be in attendance and will be provided with the opportunity to develop and hone their skills.
Along with classroom theory sessions and exercises, the referee instructors will be required to run through practical coaching and education skills on the pitch in a series of drills involving local players and referees.
TFA referee development officer Tevita Vea is delighted that Tonga has been chosen to stage the course and is confident it will proceed smoothly.
“This is the first time we have hosted such an important event and it is timely as Tonga has proven to the world that we can produce world-class referees with the likes of Tevita Makasini and Lataisia Tuifutuna,” he says.
“Now we need to take it up to the next level.”
Makasini became the first Tongan to officiate at a FIFA World Cup when he took part in the 2010 tournament in South Africa while fellow assistant referee Tuifutuna was involved in the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany last year.
OFC places high importance on developing world-class match officials and in 2008 referee development received a huge boost thanks to the introduction of the FIFA-funded Refereeing Assistance Programme (RAP).
Under the umbrella of the FIFA Development Office, RAP is staffed by Raveino, Poloso and Touati. The programme aims to prepare referees for international competitions, particularly the FIFA World Cup, and to develop referees in each of the member associations through scouting and education.
For more news and information on Tonga football go to www.tongafootball.to

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