Asian referees to adjudge at SEA Games
More than 100 professional referees from Asian countries and 142 referees from the Association of South-East Asian Nations will adjudicate at the 25 th SEA Games in Vientiane next year.
The Lao National Sports Committee does not have sufficient referees of a high enough standard, so they have had to budget for the use of overseas referees.
“Our referees lack the required knowledge so we are unable to hold the international examination which must be undertaken by referees wishing to participate in the games,” said the Deputy General Secretary of the National Olympic Committee of Laos, Mr Phouvanh Vongsouthi.
The committee has about 12 Lao referees from the muay Lao, boxing, football, sepak takraw and taekwondo federations who are of a high enough standard to adjudge at the games.
The Lao Football Federation has seven referees at the international level who have received certificates from the Federation International de Football Association. These referees participated in the 24 th SEA Games in Thailand last year. Lao referees from the muay Lao, boxing, football and sepak takraw federations also attended last year's games.
Some 60 Lao referees gained experience in Thailand , but they will be unable to participate in the SEA Games next year.
“The sports committee will provide training to 518 referee assistants so that they can take part in the games,” said Mr Phouvanh.
The sports to be featured at the event include track and field, football, sepak takraw, volleyball, table tennis, tennis, badminton, petanque, boxing, muay Lao, snooker, cycling, shooting, taekwondo, traditional boat racing, swimming, golf, bowling, judo, karate, wrestling, pencak silat, handball and wushu.
Lao referees from each federation are currently practising in the hope of judging events in the 8 th National Games in Champassak province in December.
By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
Vientianetimes
