MFA Director of Refereeing taking part in CORE

The Malta FA’s Director of Refereeing and former international referee Adrian D. Casha is currently participating in the Introductory Course of UEFA’s 13th CORE (Centre of Refereeing Excellence) Programme taking place in Nyon, Switzerland, between 8th and 17th of May. The Consolidation Course of this CORE Edition is scheduled to take place between 18th and 25th October 2012.

There are 8 refereeing trios from different countries taking part under the guidance of 2 course leaders, 4 referees’ coaches, 2 assistant referees’ coaches and 2 fitness instructors. Adrian D. Casha’s role in this 13th edition of CORE is as a referees’ coach, whereby he was assigned by UEFA the education and development of refereeing trios from Bulgaria and Luxembourg.

Every season national associations are encouraged to nominate a referee and two assistant referess under 32 years of age and who have the potential to become FIFA Officials within the next 5 years. They would then take part in a 10 day Introductory Course followed by a 7 day Consolidation Course 4-6 months later.

In the past two seasons Malta has been represented by Elite Match Officials Kevin Azzopardi, Christopher Francalanza and Mitchell Scerri in 2010/2011 and Adrian Azzopardi, Duncan Sultana and Roberto Vella in 2011/2012. Both Maltese refereeing trios achieved a UEFA CORE Diploma of Refereeing, which is the highest one could aim for.

Malta’s other UEFA CORE Referees’ Coach is the Malta FA Referees’ Committee Chairman and former FIFA Referee Charles Agius, who successfully guided refereeing trios from Northern Ireland and Republic of Macedonia to a Diploma of Refereeing last season.