Seminar for Referee Assessors FAM

For the first time, FAM has a pool of referee assessors (RA) to monitor the referees' performance in all matches and to assist in development. Ex-FIFA Match Officials in Maldives were roped in to assist. Even AFC current renowned Match Commissioners (MC), Abdul Hamid Abdul Ghafoor and Ahmed Shahir were present to give their support and to keep in touch with latest interpretation and implementation to the Laws of the Game and FIFA Guidelines to refereeing. A three days seminar is being held starting yesterday (28 January 2009) with the Referees Director, Amir Sharifuddin sharing and discussing the guidelines in the assessment approach on refereeing. The RAs were also given video test to ensure that they keep in line with the latest interpretation on fouls and misconduct. The assessing approach will be more a coaching and mentoring one rather the inspection and admonishment type. With that the referees are expected to have an opened mind to absorb advice to enhance their development. Other RAs present were Mohamed Hashim, Ahmed Abeer Ismail, Ahmed Asim, Abdul Hakeem Moosa and Ahmed Ummeed. FAM will try to get the services other ex-FIFA Match Officials to assist in this field. For the first time all the first and second division’s matches will be covered by a MC and a RA. All RA atttended the opening match and will give their views in the seminar the next day on the performance of the match officials, discus and come to a consenses of a standard procedure and approach in the assessment and improvement of the match officials. Hopefully this effort will help to see the development of refereeing in the right direction.