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CONCACAFFutsal referee course opens in Guatemala01/07/2012GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala -- Just prior to the start of the 2012 CONCACAF Futsal Championship, the confederation in conjunction with FIFA is staging a course for the referees selected to officiate at the event.
The two-day gathering (June 30 - July 1), led by FIFA/CONCACAF referee instructors Carlos Batres and Carlos Del Cid (both of Guatemala), will focus on topics from modification on the Futsal Laws of the Game, including: unification of signals, substitutions, handling the ball and player recklessness/excessive force.
"We have the opportunity for the first time to hold a course like this just before our most important futsal tournament in the region," said Del Cid, who was a referee in the last three CONCACAF Championships (2000, 2004, 2008). "The purpose is to give a review of the Futsal Laws of the Game and its recent modifications by FIFA to our selected referees that will officiate this upcoming CONCACAF Tournament.
"In our confederation, we have little opportunities to have international tournaments. I see, however, that CONCACAF futsal is taking giants steps into changing both in development and competition, so the objective is to have our referees prepared and ready."
Similar to the outdoor game, a futsal contest consists of four referees. The difference, however, is that only two (R1, R2) are on the court of play during the match, while the other two (R3 and Timekeeper) are at the officials' table in-between the two team benches.
Futsal referee assessors - Donald Campos (Nicaragua), Vladimir Maso (Cuba), Elix Peralta (Panama), Victorino Rodriguez (El Salvador) - are joining Batres and Del Cid as lecturers during the course.
Del Cid, who has also officiated in the last three FIFA Futsal World Cups, adds: "For me it is a different experience and I recall that back when I was refereeing there weren't these types of courses or seminars before the start of the confederation tournament. Now, there have been many courses (both FIFA and CONCACAF) for not just referees but also instructors, coaching and overall development throughout the region. All of this gives us a visible sense of the growth and increase interest of Futsal at all levels."
Sixteen referees have been selected to officiate this year's edition of the CONCACAF Futsal Championship, which will run July 2-8 at Guatemala City's Domo Polideportivo.
Cuba's Antonio Alvarez leads the experienced referee's group as he will be officiating in his third-consecutive CONCACAF tournament.
Six others will be officiating their second CONCACAF event: Hector Mesen - Costa Rica; Eduardo Hernandez, Francisco Rivera - Mexico; Shane Butler, Jason Krnac - USA are returning from the 2008 competition (held in Guatemala), while Leroy Brown of Guatemala is the only remaining official from the 2000 tournament held in Costa Rica.
The eight-team tournament will qualify for the first time four nations for the FIFA Futsal World Cup, which will next be played Nov. 1-18, 2012, in Thailand.
2012 CONCACAF Futsal Championship RefereesWenceslaos
Aguilar (PAN)
Antonio
Alvarez (CUB)
Alexander
Cline Beteta (PAN)
Leroy
Brown (GUA)
Shane
Butler (USA)
Sergio
Cabrera (CUB)
Rigoberto
Flores (SLV)
Carlos
Gonzalez (GUA)
Eduardo
Hernandez (MEX)
Jason
Krnac (USA)
Francisco
Lopez (NCA)
Geovanny
Lopez (CRC)
Hector
Mendez (GUA)
Hector
Mesen (CRC)
Francisco
Rivera (MEX)
Carlos
Vasquez (SLV)
Posted by
Luca Ranocchiari -->
luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com
