Tupou Patia of Cook Islands, Finau Vulivuli of Fiji and New Zealand’s Anna-Marie Keighley have all been invited to attend the seminar, joining 40 fellow match officials from around the world.
The seminar is part of the preparation programme and selection process for the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada and Patia says her inclusion is reward for the hard work and commitment she has made to excelling as a referee.
Patia, who was added to list of prospective referees for Canada 2015 in January, performed with distinction during the 2014 OFC Women’s Nations Cup in Kokopo, Papua New Guinea and says she is keen for her journey to act as an example for budding female match officials in the Cook Islands, and around the region.
“In refereeing we need to stay focused and not give up hope as opportunities are there for the taking.
“I would like to encourage more women to try refereeing, knowing there is a pathway to reach big events and ultimately your full potential,” she says.
“Refereeing is all about respect; we respect the players and in return they respect us. Anything is possible, if you believe in yourself, stay committed and focussed you can reach your dream.”
CIFA President Lee Harmon says it is great to see three representatives from OFC attending the seminar, and especially one from the Cook Islands.
“It is an honour to have our local referee selected to participate in the FIFA Seminar as part of the referee selection process for the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
“It shows the potential our referees can achieve, especially a woman from our small nation,” Harmon says.
The FIFA Referee Seminar is being held from 23-27 February in Portugal.
For more on Cook Islands football visit www.cookislandsfootball.com

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