Former FIFA officials lead referees improvement

All referees are invited and urged to attend a seminar hosted by the T&T Football Referees Association, on Sunday, which will examine the issues which affects the quality of decision making in the sport locally. The forum will be conducted at the San Juan North Secondary School, from 9.30 am to noon, and led by three former FIFA referees Joseph Taylor, Osmond Downer and Boni Bishop. According to a release sent by the Public Relations Committee of the T&TFRA, the first aim of the association is that of “furthering the cause of football in general and of refereeing in particular,” and has been prompted to hold the seminar after major concerns raised about the standard of officiating in all major football competitions during the last season.

 

 

“The General Council of the T&TFRA has decided to use the wealth of experience and knowledge that exist among our members to take action to correct this unsatisfactory situation. Poor officiating can do nothing but lower the standard of football in the country,” as stated in the release. Topics to be raised includes, the offside rule as it relates to techniques for improving the accuracy of decision making, “dealing with serious fouls”, and how positioning and movement by referees facilitates proper recognition and treatment, and finally changes in the laws of the game. Taylor will oversee the issues of the offside rule, while Downer and Bishop will lucture the issues of serious fould and changes in the laws, respectively. The Council has also directed that following the seminar which will launch the training programme for the 2012-2013 period, zones will engage members in refresher sessions, which will include both theory and practical activities.