FIFA Referees Esther Azzopardi and Kevin Azzopardi were recently in Sliven, Bulgaria to attend the annual Winter Referees’ Seminar organised by the Bulgaria Football Union.

During the three day event, various topics were covered including man management, handball, mass confrontation and cooperation between match officials. Analysis of UEFA and Bulgarian Top Division match situations was also carried out. The main lecturer in this seminar was UEFA Referees’ Committee member Kyros Vassaras from Greece.

The participation of Esther Azzopardi and Kevin Azzopardi forms part of the numerous exchanges initiated by the Malta FA Referees’ Department last season. In fact Top Division Bulgarian Referees Georgi Kabakov and Angel Bayaltzaliev were in Malta to attend the Winter Seminar for Maltese Elite and Category One Match Officials conducted by UEFA Referees’ Committee member David Elleray earlier in the season.