(Eagle News) — The Union of European Football Associations, also known as UEFA, is the governing body of European football or soccer as many of us know it.
Soccer is a grueling sport, so it comes as no surprise to find that referees vying to be the best within the industry, are also going the extra mile to earn that title.
UEFA gathered 128 of its referees in Malaga, Spain to enjoy the onset of the Mediterranean spring while taking part in refresher courses, with the key message to never stand still and keep up the standards that have made European match officials respected in the world game.
Training sessions and fitness checks, including visual tests and body fat measuring were all part of the agenda.
Interviews with the referees shows they each understand the importances of training and administering such tests.
“Regarding the fitness test, it’s more like a fitness check because you have to be prepared all of the time. Being in this level in UEFA (Way-fa) means you are on the top of your preparation all the time,” UEFA Referee Ovidiu Alin Hategan said.
According to UEFA Referee Sara Persson, in women’s side having the right tempo and the physical performance is very important to referees.
“On both men’s side and the specially on the women’s side the tempo and the physical performance has increased a lot so it’s very important for us referees to be in the top of the fitness also so you can keep up. You must be as well trained as the players I should say,” Persson said.
UEFA’s Chief Refereeing Officer Pierluigi Collina
“Starting from fitness, I have to say that today the referees are fit in a way they never were in the past and honestly we cannot ask them to do something more because they are very, very high as level. Football has changed, so the referees have had to change to be ready for what is needed today. If I compare today to the time when I was an active referee, the UEFA Referee Committee is offering more than before, definitely more than before. But if the referees are given more, they are also asked to give back more in terms of commitment.”
“So what we really appreciate is the way the referees are committed, they really work hard, they really try to do everything we offer them. We are very happy and thankful for this. But as is the case in any type of training or learning process, the most valuable or beneficial experiences, are those that allow you to learn from experienced pros. Such training fosters the sharing of experiences between the older and younger generations,” Collina added. (EBC Las Vegas Bureau)
https://youtu.be/f-TCOcU37cI
