FAIR REFEREE, FAIR PLAY, FAIR GAME, FAIR LIFE!

Hey Ref, that’s not fair Ref! Ref!” The eternal cry Referee’s the world over continually hear. The name “Fair Ref 101” came to Elie Nootenboom as he was refereeing a soccer match. The symbol ‘0’ in 101 represents the referee, neutral and impartial in the centre between 2 players 1 and 1 both representing the same value to the referee.

Elie a soccer referee for the past 3 years has always thought to do the best job, you need the best tools, so began his search for a solid silver whistle. Elie enjoys and values refereeing so much he wanted to use solid silver whistle something precious signifying and anchoring high value, commitment and worth.
Elie’s search for a solid silver or gold working whistle took him all over Sydney, and via the Internet all over the world to no benefit. He came close once, a small whistle that looked pretty but no sound! In frustration Elie decided to design and manufacture his own whistle the goal was the whistle had to be made of solid silver, and had to look sleek, feel smooth in the hand and very importantly had to produce a beautifully loud sound. Nine months, nearly 20hours a day and 7 prototypes later he has produced the ‘Fair Referee101 Solid Silver Working Trophy Whistle’.

The whistle was designed to validate and acknowledge all people within the sporting or business arena, on or off the field who embody the qualities of a ‘Fair Referee’.
Qualities such as fairness, honesty, motivation, courage, confidence, strength, stamina, perseverance, the deep desire for equality and the elimination of discrimination, justice both on and off the field of sport.

Being a fair ref comes at a price. It requires the strength to stand by your decisions and desire for fair play in all facets of society. It also requires the strength to overcome criticisms from others, and the courage to stand by your own convictions whilst striving to ensure equality and fairness amongst players and peers like.
We were very proud to present the late and great Johnny Warren Captain of the Socceroos at the 1970 World Cup, and a wonderful ambassador for Australian soccer a 24K gold plated solid silver trophy-working whistle. The Fair referee 101 team has since donated numerous awards to other outstanding individuals in various sports who are great examples of what it means to be a Fair Referee.

Elie has been an outdoor soccer referee for 3 years and has recently qualified as an NSW FUTSAL referee. He comes from a family of referees and soccer players, and has lived and loved soccer forever.

Elie’s 16-year-old daughter a FUTSAL State player and referee wrote the following poem:

What does it mean to be a fair referee?
Does it apply to him, you or me?
Treating people equally without favouritism or discrimination,
No matter the code, colour or nation
Keep athletes under whip and tame,
Just to all parties, true to the game,
How strong it your spirit? How pure is your conscience?
Are you able to look beyond all the hype and nonsense?
Put up with the pain, look for the just and see
If you have what it takes to be a fair referee!

The whistles are beautifully handcrafted in solid 9, 18-carat gold, solid platinum and solid 925 silver with matching solid 9,18 carat gold, platinum 925 solid silver swivel key ring set. Each whistle is stamped with 375, 750 or 925 indicating metal qualities and with the Fair Referee 101 trademark.
Uniquely designed, and one of a kind, the whistle has a unique pea less design. Internal chambers and channels create the sound.
As each whistle is individually moulded, welded, polished and engraved by hand each has its own unique feel and sound. (Once you hold it, you want to hang on to it!).
The whistles have been field tested for loudness and quality of sound (beautiful trill) in both in-door and out-door sports.
For more information please visit www.fairref101.com

Hopefully through the promotion of the ideals of Fair Refereeing and Play we will come closer to encouraging the realisation of:

· Hope and social integration - including children's rights, education, social opportunities, a violence-free generation and relief for children in armed conflicts
· Tolerance - including problems such as racism and gender inequality
· Health, development and physical activity, anti-smoking campaigns, anti-drug activities, physical exercise, etc.
· And the development of human potential

Wishing you all fair games!
Fair Referee 101 Team