Courtesy: The AFC.com


AFC initiatives amongst ‘best in the world’

Wednesday, 23 May 2012

Dubai: FIFA/UEFA Futsal Referee Instructor Pedro Galan believes that the initiatives and practices being carried out by the AFC in developing futsal refereeing in the continent are amongst the best of all the FIFA confederations.

Galan, who is in Dubai as a Referee Assessor for the AFC Futsal Championship 2012 which kicks-off on Friday, has been involved with the AFC's futsal referee development program for the past four years with the Spaniards first major involvement with the Asian confederation dating back to the 2008 AFC Elite Education Seminar.

"I have been involved in five continents and if I compare, my honest opinion is that the AFC has been working in the best way, Galan told www.the-afc.com.

"They are investing money, creating a good development program and even they are getting attention from other organizations including UEFA."

And Galan believes that in collaborating with the world's best then the AFC will continue to raise the standard of futsal refereeing in Asia.

"Even this competition, we have two referees coming here from UEFA, which is good for the other Asian referees to learn.

"It's important to know how the interpretation of the Laws of the Game can be unified and ensure all of us play with the same philosophy. It's good for both; the Europeans and Asian referees and I hope in future it is not only Europeans who come here for Asian competitions but vice-versa."

Commenting on the growing stature of Asian futsal referees at the world level, the 52-year-old Spaniard who was first appointed an international referee in 1996, when his homeland hosted the third edition of the FIFA Futsal World Cup, remarked:

"In 1996, we started with four Asian football referees to officiate the game of futsal but now the scenario is totally different and there were seven Asian referees, exclusive to futsal, at the 2008 Futsal World Cup in Brazil and I am sure there will be even more for the upcoming World Cup in Thailand.

"There are sound futsal development programs and attention in place in Asia and the only thing needed is to have strong professional domestic league in each country because the more you are exposed to the high-level matches, they more experienced and accurate you become."




Courtesy: The AFC.com


Futsal Championship a massive draw for media

Thursday, 24 May 2012

Dubai: The UAE media are wholeheartedly embracing the 2012 AFC Futsal Championship as the Local Organising Committee (LOC) spares no effort in their attempt to promote the first hosting of the tournament in the West Asian zone to fans in the region and beyond.

Hosted twice by Iran (in 2001 and 2003) the AFC Futsal Championship is making its debut in the Middle East and Chairman of the LOC Ali Omar Al Balooshi pointed out how the organisers have been working hand-in-hand with print and broadcast media to ensure the tournament reaches as wide an audience as possible.

Speaking to www.the-afc.com, Al Balooshi revealed that the LOC has been actively engaging the media in the lead up to the tournament and there has already been extensive promotion of the competition through local TV stations.

"The local media have been great and are fully aware of this championship," he said.

"We have been implementing our media and marketing strategy and a few weeks ago we started advertising the tournament and there is a designated anchor to do the publicity on TV while we also invited sports journalists from all the big publishing houses to join our media committee and this has been very helpful for us in promoting the event."




Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com