Football

LOBAMBA – Ahead of the new season’s kick-off, local elite referees have been brought up to speed on the new laws of the game.

This was revealed by one of the International Federation for Association Football (FIFA) Instructors, Paulo Marques, who facilitated a five-day course for over 20 referees. The course was held at Eswatini Football Association (EFA) Lobamba Technical Centre, where it was official closed yesterday.

Marques said part of the theoretical syllabus included amendments to football laws, such as the goalkeeping law.

Goalkeepers are no longer allowed to hold on to the ball for more than eight seconds and will be sanctioned if they fail to abide by this rule.

The South African expert said referees were also empowered on how to analyse incidents such as handballs, offsides and fouls, with a focus on effective communication between the whole match officiating team. He added that they were reminded about their positioning, while their physical fitness was also put to the test.

Full article available in our paper.

The FIFA Member Association (MA) Elite Referees Course, which was attended by over 20 participants, concluded yesterday at the Lobamba Technical Centre. (Pic: Nimrod Hlophe)