FIFA Beach Soccer Refereeing Course

BEACH SOCCER - Ready to roll?

Football Association has just concluded the first FIFA Beach Soccer introductory course for 25 referees in Male from the 18 - 22 April 2011. FIFA Instructor Stephan Fassler from Switzerland conducted the course.

The participants were given workshop, group discussion and practical training pertaining to the identify the difference in the understanding and interpretation of the Laws of the Game and its implementation from the normal football and FUTSAL game. A Beach Soccer Festival was also held to gauge the understanding of the referees in the interpretation and implementation of the laws. This was a good experience for all the participants including the local FUTURO III Instructors, Ahmed Abeer Ismail and Mohamed Saeed.

All the participants realized and understood that from this short course, it is very difficult to grasp all that is needed to know of the game. More intensive theory sessions and quizzes including practical experiences in training and the match practices is needed. The knowledge achieved in this course is just "the tip of an iceberg". Much is needed to be done by the FA and also the participants themselves.

Where do we go from here? Referees Department of FA Maldives hope that the Beach Games Committee in the Ministry of Youth and Sports will hold a local competition prior to the International Invitation Beach Soccer Competition to held here in the Maldives in September. We can all dream that one day our Dhivehi football will soars to greater height and perhaps be a small giant from a tiny country respected in the Beach Soccer World Cup.