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MALTESE MATCH OFFICIALS AND REFEREE OBSERVERS FOR TRAINING CAMP/SEMINAR ABROAD

Published: 31-07-2013 09:10
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A very important sector within the Malta Football Association comprises the Refereeing Department which has as its primary objective the consolidation and improvement of refereeing in Malta at different levels.  Not surprisingly these match officials, including referees’ observers, are busy throughout the whole year. The summer months are no exception as the department, under the headship of Adrian Casha, is engaged in different initiatives for the benefit of all categories of match officials and observers. An important activity which the referees’ department in collaboration with the MFRA is holding for the second consecutive year is the pre-season training camp/seminar for its Elite and Category One match officials and referees observers. This year this is being held at the Four-Star Global Football Park & Sport Hotel in Telki, Hungary, a hotel owned by the Hungarian Football Association and specifically designed for football. The Maltese group will consist of 34 match officials and 12 referees observers/technical staff. The main speaker will be Steve Bennett (England), with other instructors including Charles Agius, Alexander Arena, Adrian Casha, Bulgarian Detelin Baialtzaliev and Victor Kassai, a Hungarian FIFA Referee.  A welcome speaker will be FIFA Assistant Referee Mitchell Scerri who will deal with his participation at the UEFA Under-19 Final tournament currently being held in Lithuania. The Malta FA’s fitness coach Ronald Zammit will conduct daily training sessions. FIFA, UEFA and the MFRA are contributing towards the Malta FA Refereeing Department in the organisation of this event.  TALENTS COMPLETING TALENT AND MENTOR PROGRAMME SUCCESSFULLY A new initiative undertaken by the Refereeing Department is the Talent and Mentor Progamme which is a specialised two-year programme for Referees and Assistant Referees under the age of 32 who have the potential of making it to the FIFA panel in the future. A group of ten officials, namely Andre Arciola, Matthew Degabriele, Philip Farrugia, Tristan Farrugia Cann, Etienne Mangion, Luke Portelli, Glenn Tonna, Jude Amin Utulu, Roberto Vella and Fyodor Zammit completed successfully the 2011-2013 programme under the co-ordination of Victor Mintoff, the Development Officer. They received their diplomas from the Malta FA President Norman Darmanin Demajo. FIRST GRADUATES OF THE REFEREES ACADEMY Another new initiative launched in December 2011 is the Referees Academy. This is a two year programme for young males and females between the ages of 13 and 17 who intend to take up refereeing. The first graduates were Darya Attard, Tyron Cardona, Ryan Caruana, Jurgen Ciantar, Nicole Cutajar, Jordie Delia, Kathleen Hamilton, Leanne Mifsud, Daniel Portelli and Chantel Spiteri. The MFA President also presented them with certificates after completing their programme successfully. FXDD EXTENDS NEW KIT SPONSORSHIP The Malta Football Referees Association, through its President Lawrence Sammut, has announced the extension of the FXDD sponsorship for the next two seasons after the first one had expired. Under this agreement FXDD is again providing each match official with apparel such as kits, footwear and other items required by match officials in the execution of their preparation and match duties.  Through this sponsorship, which also includes funds, the MFRA is able to contribute towards the various ongoing development initiatives for the benefit of refereeing.  Fiona Soler, Finance Manager for FXDD Malta, expressed her satisfaction at the growth of FXDD’s support to local match officials.