The Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) has announced the successful completion of the first segment of this year’s FIFA Member Association (MA) course for Elite Referees in Bo City, Southern Sierra Leone.

This first phase, specifically designed for Elite Referees, culminated in a grand ceremony where 35 male and female referees from across the country received FIFA Certificates of Participation. The event was graced by notable dignitaries including Yayah Mansaray, Secretary General of the Southern Region Football Associations, who represented the SLFA; Alhaji Sanusi Rashid, National President of the Referees Association; and the Referees Manager, Franklyn Angel Foray Marrah.

 

The course was facilitated by an esteemed panel of FIFA and CAF instructors, including FIFA/CAF Referee Instructor Celestine Ntagungira from Rwanda, FIFA Senior Fitness Instructor Nasreddine Cherifi from Algeria, Sierra Leonean CAF Fitness Instructor Ibrahim Bristo Kamara, and CAF Referee Assessor Alhaji Sanusi Rashid.

The SLFA also announced that the second segment of the training, targeting youth referees, will commence tomorrow. This next phase aims to nurture and develop the skills of young referees, ensuring a strong foundation for the future of football officiating in Sierra Leone.

The FIFA Referee MA Course is a program that primarily focuses on the rules, rule changes, handball interpretations, new amendments, penalty area incidents and many others. During this session numerous referees were in attendance. These sessions helped them to not only learn more about their overall objective as a referee but better manage the games that they are assigned to. Being a game official is challenging but these courses help them to understand the game and react well in stressful situations.