DOHA: QFA President yesterday urged patience on the development of home-grown referees, saying officials managing local football matches were some of the finest in Asia.
“Qatari referees have their own reputation. They do a fine job in domestic and international games. Yes, they make mistakes as do referees everywhere else,” QFA President Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani said yesterday.
“But they are some of the finest in Asia. They are always trying to improve their skills. Last year we had more than 380 matches. There will be more matches in the coming season. That’s a huge number to look after,” Sheikh Hamad said. “To tackle a huge a number of matches we had to fast-track young referees who need time to develop their skills. We have plans in place to help them improve their officiating,” Sheikh Hamad explained.
Earlier this year, Qatar referee Abdul Rahman Ibrahim Al Jassim officiated in the final of the Cargills FA Cup played on February 22 in the Sri Lankan capital.
A tournament that is 75 years old, it was the first time that a foreign match referee officiated in the final that was played at Sugathadasa Stadium.
“It would be wrong to criticise them for the sake of criticism,” the QFA chief pointed out. “We see fans of Real Madrid are still lamenting some of the decisions made in the last El Clasico (last week). This is a routine exercise (to criticise) everywhere in the world,” he said.
“Some referees are even suspended for poor officiating. I feel the performances of our referees are one of the best in the region,” Sheikh Hamad claimed.
“When teams lose, officials or fans try to look for a scapegoat and hence they usually blame the referees. You (the media) are seeking perfection. That is not possible. So I wouldn’t blame our referees. I think they are doing a good job and they will improve with the passage of time,” he added. THE PENINSULA
