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Compiled by the Government Communication and Information System --------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 25 Oct 2006 Title: Referees to start training for 2010 world cup --------------------------------------------------------------- By Themba Gadebe, tel: (012) 314-2267 Referees are expected to start training next year in preparation for the 2010 Soccer World Cup, the FIFA Referees Committee said. According to the official FIFA website, the referees and assistant referees will start training next year for the games to be held in South Africa. "Once again, groups of three from the same country, or at least from the same confederation, will be chosen to officiate there. "Trios who had rehearsed together for a long time were one of the reasons for the referees' success at the 2006 FIFA World Cup," FIFA said. The FIFA Referees Committee held a meeting on Tuesday and expressed great satisfaction with the referees' performances at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. "The referees and assistant referees fulfilled the high expectations placed on them and complied with the instructions to protect players and thus the game better. "The preparation period of almost four years for the World Cup in Germany paid off," said Villar Llona, the committee's chairperson. FIFA President Sepp Blatter, who was also present at the meeting, further praised the performance of the referees during the 2006 world cup. "I am very satisfied with the referees' performances at the 2006 World Cup. They achieved more than their counterparts in Korea/Japan in 2002." Mr Blatter said. Nevertheless, he indicated that referees would have to improve even further to uplift their performances. FIFA chief medical officer Professor Jiri Dvorak also said he was satisfied by the 2006 World Cup in terms of the referees' performances. According to the global football governing body, there were 145 injuries in the 64 matches of the final competition in Germany, translating to 2.3 per match, whereas in the 2002 World Cup the figure was 2.7 injuries per game. In this light, the FIFA Sports Medical Committee noted that the numbers of head injuries sustained in the tournament in Germany amounted to half of those recorded in the finals in Korea/Japan four years ago. Prof Dvorak explained that the lower incidence of injuries was due to the referees' performances, by providing better protection to the players and vigorously punishing elbowing offences. He also pointed out that too many players still feigned injury during play, primarily for tactical reasons. Fifty-eight per cent of the players who were treated on the pitch during the 2006 World Cup eventually turned out not to be injured. - BuaNews |
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