CUTTACK 04-May-2013 241
All India Football Federation launched its first Referees` Academy at Barabati Stadium here today. Odisha Olympic Association secretary Asirbad Behera inaugurated the academy in the presence of AIFF Referees` Board chairman Amit Ranjan Deb, Head of Referees Goutam Kar, fitness instructor Binod Singh and technical instructor Susanta Chandra Mohanty.
``The academy will cater to young referees and help them understand the match situation better. We need to begin from grassroots. The AIFF is planning to open 12 such academies at different places of the country in the next three years,`` said Deb on the occasion.
``This will be a weekend academy. Besides theoretical classes, there would also be practical training, game exposure, interactive sessions, fitness tests, lessons on nutrition, diet and sports psychology,`` Kar elaborated.
``Altogether 20 young referees, including five women from Odisha will attend the one-year curriculum. Presently, all of them are Category 4 and Category 5 referees,`` he added.
``The refereeing fraternity is very concerned about the evils of match fixing which has hit world football hard. Hence, it will also be an additional subject,`` stated Kar.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOTO: Referees and AIFF officials at the launching ceremony of the AIFF Referees` Academy in Cuttack on May 4, 2013.
