Local officials urged to aim for high goals as FIFA RAP programme commences

Aug 26, 2015 Sports

By Michael Benjamin
They are the guardians of the sport and their contributions have been cited as the pillars on which football development lies. It was with this understanding that 21 locally affiliated FIFA referees convened at the Racquet Centre, Woolford Avenue, yesterday morning, to commence the Referees Assistance Programme (RAP), five days of intense training,

Smartly attired, the referees take time out for a photo op with FIFA and other officials just before the commencement of the programme.

meant to maintain their competency in the trade.
The programme is being conducted by FIFA’s Referee Instructor and FIFA Referee Fitness Instructor, Peter Prendergast and Alan Brown, respectively and yesterday morning the former official delivered a frank, incisive speech to those participants. He pointed out that the programme is integral to the referees’ development and is designed to heighten their competence. “Our job is to teach the teachers who in turn return to their member associations and pass on the knowledge,” said Mr. Pendergast. He urged the officials to demonstrate commitment to their work and cited cases where referees have demonstrated a reluctance to participate in local assignments while saying they are busy but are always ready for international assignments. “It may sound harsh but as the original bad man this is how I talk,” said Pendergast while voicing disapproval.
The FIFA Referee Instructor lamented the falling standards among the officials while bemoaning the fact that since 2006 the region has been unable to clinch lucrative spots on the (international) referees list with just one official making the grade in the 2014 world Cup. “We must lift our standards if we are to improve in this department,” he implored the officials.
Amidst his scathing comments, Mr. Prendergast found some positivity and complimented the referees on their mode of dress saying that they looked sharp and uniformed. He told the referees that there is much to aspire for as FIFA may not be as rigid on the age limit, choosing instead to evaluate individual cases. “FIFA has an age limit of 45 years but that does not mean that if you prove to be competent and able bodied (at that age) that you will be automatically discarded,” he intimated. Head of the Referees’ Council, Stanley Lancaster, acted in the capacity of Master of Ceremonies and Pendergast noted and lauded his hard work as an official over the years.
Chairman of the Normalization Committee, Clinton Urling, welcomed the FIFA delegation while urging them to enjoy what Guyana has to offer. He noted the importance of the referees even as he enforced the belief that the current sessions will enforce the concepts of the trade. “The referees enforce the integrity of the game and are important on and off the field,” exhorted Mr. Urling in his short presentation.
President of the Guyana Football Referees’ Council (GFRC), Alfred King also welcomed the FIFA duo, while lauding their input over the past years. He told the referees that while the FIFA officials may aspire to improve their competence they (the referees) will also be required to lift their level of competence.
He also feels that local referees should assiduously aspire to lift their standards and be reinstated in the top echelons of the sport. “The number of local referees that have been removed from the (FIFA) pool is indeed worrying especially since it was fostered by the official’s incompetence. “I urge you to make every effort to sustain your accreditation at that level and Mr. Pendergast’s input may just be the fillip we need to facilitate this,” said Mr. King.
General Secretary of the GFF, Richard Groden delivered the vote of thanks and expressed gratitude to the FIFA officials even as he urged the referees to apply themselves to the task on hand while giving of their best over the duration of the sessions.
The sessions are scheduled to run over the next five days commencing at 09:00hrs under the tutelage of Prendergast and Brown. Activities will include simulations, fitness tests and a written test and evaluation to assess how much had been conceived by participants.
The overarching aim of the initiative is to foster a professional environment in which referees work while the facilitators will also impart knowledge of the way the laws of the game are applied throughout the world.
Instructors and other officials will be guided by the FIFA representatives through classroom
sessions as well as practical exercises thus allowing the instructors to evaluate their competence upon conclusion of the sessions. The event culminates on Saturday.