Training for new futsal referees

Newcomers to the international futsal referee ranks have been introduced to UEFA’s comprehensive referee training programme at a course in Bucharest.

The 43 male and two female referees who were invited to Romania have all received their FIFA badges over the past two years.

They undertook a test on futsal’s laws, and were given insights into areas such as consistent application of the laws, visual ability, movement, positioning and signalling.

UEFA Referees Committee members Kyros Vassaras and José Fontelas Gomes were on hand to give advice to the referees, along with main instructor Pedro Ángel Galán Nieto (Spain) and colleagues Perry Gautier (Belgium), Ivan Novak (Croatia) and Massimo Cumbo (Italy).

Romanian Football Federation president Răzvan Burleanu welcomed the officials and wished them every success in their future international careers, which will see them officiating at matches in UEFA’s major futsal competitions such as the UEFA Futsal Champions League and UEFA Futsal EURO.

Fitness was a key element at the two-day course, given that futsal referees require attributes such as speed to keep up with play, and agility to be able to change direction.

The new international referees took a fitness test, and their body fat and weight were measured. Specialist instructors Joâo Dias (Portugal) and Dan Monea (Romania) provided expert guidance to the officials on specific futsal fitness preparation.