FIFA MA Refereeing Course to Kick Off in Djibouti Next Month

By Shafi'i Mohyaddin Abokar

With Somalia preparing for its annual FIFA MA refereeing course due in Djibouti early next month, Somali Football Federation education officer Ali Mohamed Ahmed has announced the training program schedules in a press statement issued at the SFF headquarters on Saturday.

The education officer explained that Somali Football Federation had spent a lot of efforts to make sure the implementation of the FIFA level Member association refereeing course for Somalia which is slated in Djibouti for 3-7 March this year.

SFF Education Officer Ali Mohamed Ahmed Photo: Shafi'i Mohyaddin Abokar

"Somali Football Federation authorities especially secretary General Abdi Qani Said Arab had done all they could to lead Somalia benefits from the annual FIFA MA courses while as we know some countries in the Africa continent were not able to benefit from such courses," SFF education officer Ali Mohamed Ahmed noted in his press statement Saturday.

Ali Mohamed Ahmed added they are very grateful to FIFA for its endless support and assistances which prevented football in Somalia from collapsing for more than two decades of widespread unrest, lawlessness and lack of a functioning central government in Somalia.

The statement said the FIFA level refereeing course for Somalia will be conducted by FIFA referee instructor Lim Kee Chong assisted by Fitness instructor Boubakar Hanashi. While FIFA referee development officer Ahmed El Shenawi will be administering the 5-day MA refereeing course for Somalia.

Somali Football federation referee committee chairman Osman Jama Dira added that SFF officials and some 28 Somali elite soccer referees plus officials from FIFA referee development office in Cairo will be ready in Djibouti on March the 1st in preparation for the course which is due to kick off at the Djibouti FA technical centre on the 3rd of match.

Shafi'i Mohyaddin Abokar is the NewsBlaze Somalia reporter. Contact him through NewsBlaze. Read more stories by Shafi'i Mohyaddin Abokar.