20 referees follow week-long training |26 April 2022
Souvenir photo of instructor Lakhdar, SFF officials and the referees (Photo: Joena Meme)
Twenty referees have since yesterday been taking part in a beach soccer refereeing course at the Maison Football with the aim of identifying one or two to become Fédération Internationale de Football Association beach soccer officials.
The week-long training course organised by the Seychelles Football Federation (SFF) was opened by the vice president of the federation, Dolor Ernesta, in the presence of secretary general Georges Bibi,chairman of the Seychelles beach soccer Philip Sinon and course facilitator Benchabane Lakhdar, a Fédération Internationale de Football Association (Fifa) beach soccer referee instructor from France.
Apart from identifying potential referees to become Fifa beach soccer referees for the region and Africa, the aim of the one-week training is also to upgrade the knowledge and skills of local referees especially in line with the new rules and regulations of the game.
The beach soccer refereeing course is the second referees’ course to be hosted by the SFF after last week’s Education and Learning Platform ‒ a referee training related to the use of the video assistant referee (VAR) conducted by the Confederation of African Football (Caf).
Addressing the participants to open the course yesterday, Mr Ernestacalled on them to make the most of the training as the course is very important for the development of beach soccer in the country, taking into account that the game is developing fast, even in countries where beaches are not apparent, and we have to be on par level with the development.
Mr Ernesta noted that it will be a cause for celebration if the country does get its first two internationallyrecognised beach soccer referees to help promote beach soccer here and in Africaand to inspire the younger generation.
For his part, Mr Lakhdar, who was in the country in 2018 to conduct a similar training course, said the week’s training is of very great importance considering changes to the laws of the game made in 2020, while the participants have to also bear in mindthat for the country needs to have one or two internally recognised referees. He added that the course will consist of theoretical and practical sessions on the pitch which have to be taken seriously.
As for Mr Sinon, he said if Seychelles gets its first two internationally recognised beach soccer referees this might further boosts our country’s chances of winning the bid to host the 2023 Beach Soccer World Cup.