MUSCAT: The training session for the qualification of para-athletics referees for people with disabilities began at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher, organised by the Oman Paralympic Committee (OPC) under the supervision of the International Paralympic Committee from December 12 to 13. This is in preparation for the Oman Para-Athletics Meeting scheduled for December 15-16.
Under the auspices of Dr Mansour bin Sultan al Touqi, OPC Chairman, and in the presence of international lecturer Tariq al Suwaidi, the course was inaugurated with the participation of 30 referees.
Al Touqi emphasised that the arbitration course is part of the committee's efforts to qualify Omani referees to manage athletics competitions for people with disabilities, under the supervision of the International Paralympic Committee. He highlighted the course's focus on the unique rules governing para-athletics compared to able-bodied athletics, addressing legal aspects of field and track events and modifications in competitions. The course also covered the arbitration of throwing equipment such as the shot put, javelin, and discus considering differences in weight and disability categories.
He stressed the importance of benefiting from both theoretical and practical sessions, noting that the course's participants contribute significantly to the OPC goal of qualifying referees for international licenses, enabling them to officiate in various para-athletics championships. The sessions covered topics such as the basics of refereeing for disabled competitions, classification based on the degree and type of disability, and the ethics of the refereeing profession and the roles of referees. The two-day course included theoretical and practical sessions, addressing the arbitration laws for para-athletics, including track and field events and key legal modifications for various motor, visual, and paralysis disabilities.
Following that, the sessions of the course began with the presentation of several working papers. The first paper provided an overview of the basics of refereeing for competitions involving people with disabilities. The second paper addressed the classification of disabled sports based on the degree and type of disability. The third session covered the 'Ethics of the Refereeing Profession and the Roles of Referees'.
The course, spanning two days, includes theoretical sessions and practical applications. It encompasses the refereeing laws for Para Athletics, addressing the officiating of field and track sports, along with crucial legal amendments for track races, throwing events, and jumping for various motor, visual and paralysis impairments.
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