Snowdan urges local referees to upgrade their skills

KUCHING: Local referees in any sport discipline are encouraged to upgrade their skills on a regular basis.

Assistant Minister of Youth and Sports Snowdan Lawan said advanced referee training is available through various sports bodies in the country to upgrade qualified applicants to the highest level.

“And there are various levels of tournaments being organised in the state and in the country as whole and therefore opportunities are always there for good referee,” he said at the closing of the 1Youth, 1Referee course at the Youth and Sports Complex here yesterday.

The course, which involved 30 participants from three sports – football, sepak takraw and netball – was jointly organised by Saberkas and Malaysian Youth Council. He said a referee commands the respect of players by being firm and fair, and facilitate the flow of the match rather than getting in the way of it.

He added that good refereeing is a highly developed skill and pointed out that a referee is a special person who is acting in the capacity of a judicial figure to enforce the adopted rules of an organised sport with total honesty, integrity, courage, fairness, and common sense.

“Great referees rely on great judgment and wisdom to make their decisions in accordance with the rules and regulations of the game,” he said.

He said refereeing was also a way to make extra income outside the normal working hours, during the off days and leave as referees normally receive a match fee