MUSCAT: The Oman University Sports Committee (OUSC), in cooperation with the Oman Football Association (OFA), recently conducted a qualifying course for new female referees in Suhar. The course was held at the Sohar Sports Complex, with the participation of a group of female students, supervisors and practitioners interested in the field of sports arbitration from various universities and higher education institutions in Al Batinah North Governorate.
The course aimed to prepare qualified female referees in accordance with the latest regulations and laws approved by the OFA and the International Federation of Association Football (Fifa). It also aimed to enhance the presence of women in refereeing matches, thus contributing to the support of university sports and providing the national refereeing system with new elements capable of advancing to the local and regional levels in the future.
The course included theoretical lectures on the laws of the game and amendments to the law, in addition to practical field applications on the field, under the supervision of lecturers and experts accredited by the OFA. It also included an evaluation of the participants' individual performance and provided feedback to improve skills and decision-making on the field.
The OUSC emphasised that this initiative falls within its strategic plans to empower female students in sports, develop leadership and refereeing skills, and create opportunities to participate in university tournaments. For its part, the Oman Football Association commended the effective cooperation between the two sides, commending the seriousness of the participants and affirming its continued support for women's refereeing programmes.
The course concluded with the distribution of certificates of participation to the new female referees, with the possibility of nominating outstanding female referees to enroll in advanced courses in the future, thus enhancing the presence of Omani women in the field of football refereeing, both locally and internationally.
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