More quality referees needed to develop football in Sabah
KOTA KINABALU: Thirty-eight participants, including three aspiring female referees, completed a two-day Basic Football Referee Course at the Sandakan Sports Complex over the weekend.
The Sports Bureau of Upko Libaran Division in collaboration with Sabah Football Association (Safa) organised the course, which saw participation from Sandakan, Kinabatangan, Telupid and Semporna.
Among the objectives of the course was to produce more quality referees that could help in the development of the sport in the state and even the country.
"Upko Libaran would like to provide a platform or opportunity for youth in Sabah East Coast through one of our human capital development programmes with Safa.
"And this time the participants have the chance to learn from Safa instructors Sari Tari and Ahmad Sumatra to become calibre referees," said Dr Peter Jr Naintin, who is Upko Supeme Council Member-cum- Upko Libaran chief.
He said this during the closing of the course on Sunday where he also expressed hope that the participants would strive for the best to become international class referees.
The course chairperson Albinus @ Fojintius, on the other hand, believed such a programme would certainly motivate the younger generations to be active in football, thus encourage them to live a healthy lifestyle by taking part in sporting-activities.
Meanwhile, the participants of the course also received free SIM card courtesy of main sponsor ONEXOX.