Participants and National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam (NFABD) officials posing for a group photo before yesterday's FIFA MA Refereeing course at the NFABD House in Berakas. BT/Syarif Rasani
40 participants started their five-day FIFA MA Refereeing course organised by the National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam (NFABD) yesterday.
FIFA fitness instructor Ahmad Khalidi Supian and FIFA Development Officer Mohamad Rodzali Yacob, both Malaysians, will be in charge of conducting the course and putting the participants through fitness tests and evaluation examinations.
According to NFABD general secretary Hj Muhd Zamri Dato Paduka Hj Hamdani, this will be the fourth time NFABD has conducted the course - with the first edition held in November 2011.
"With the total number of participants in the course today, hopefully we can get more (referees) and (those who) continue to be active," said Hj Muhd Zamri during his speech.
"I hope one day the referees from Brunei will go forward, not only at the regional level but at the international level.
"That is our hope, that there is a representative from an ASEAN country.
"Before this, maybe there were one or two ASEAN referees that had been selected to (referee at) the World Cup," added Hj Muhd Zamri at the NFABD House in Berakas.
Head of Referee Department at NFABD, Tamat Hj Budin said that there is a lack of referees in Brunei - which is why the course is so relevant.
"We do not have enough referees for the leagues in Brunei," Tamat told The Brunei Times.
"Yes, for the Brunei-Muara district it is sufficient. But it isn't for Belait, Tutong and Temburong.
"That's why we are trying to conduct the course for new referees in the other districts, and when we do have them, we will be holding them in their districts.
"The course being held now is for local referees to upgrade their knowledge in terms of laws and also the practical side, but they're not considered new because some of them have been referees for over 10 years," added Tamat.
This is the second course that NFABD have hosted this month, with the other being a five-day course for newly registered FIFA referees and assistants that ran from March 5-9.
Thirty-one participants completed the course which taught a number of topics such as management of penalties and free-kicks, offside, advantage, handball, serious foul play and violent conduct, simulation and celebration of goals.
The course was organised by FIFA with the help of the ASEAN Football Federation and NFABD and attracted foreign representatives from Australia, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
