Lahore, 11 April: Lahore get lion’s share of attention as seven of the Pakistan’s second biggest city girls viz Laila Zafar, Saiqah Waris, Fehmida Ayub, Shazia Ramzan, Sabiha Khalil, Saima Majeed and Bushra Khanam are among the 14 participants of PFF Women Referee Consolidating Course. The six-day Course commenced at FIFA House, Ferozpur Road, Lahore today and will conclude on 15 April 2011.
According to PFF Women Administrator and Course Coordinator Neha Zia, participants from Lahore, Vehari, Rawalpindi, Khybar Pakhtunkhawa and Bahawlpur will learn under Referees Manager Qazi Mohammad Asif and Instructors Salah Uddin Awan and Arif Siddqui. The Course have been designed under directives of Pakistan Football Federation (PFF)’s President Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat to reinforce contacts between Pakistan football’s governing body and women referees at a time when women’s football is developing at a rapid pace.
“In organising this course, PFF is offering women referees the opportunity for expert instruction in the laws of the game and physical preparation, which should enable them to further improve their performance.”
“Women’s football is arguably the fastest growing sport in Asia and it is high time women practitioners of the game received separate and suitable recognition – on par with the men. Gone are the days when the women’s version was considered a pale and inferior shadow of the men’s game in our continent. A time is not far way when a female referee will not only supervise the National event final but Pakistan will also provide a FIFA Female Referee, and ongoing Course will help PFF a lot in this scheme,” added PFF Women Committee Chairperson Robina Irfan. She occupied the new role during 28th December 2010 PFF Congress after being successful Chairperson of PFF Women Wing from 17 December 2005 to 7 August 2010.
The current PFF set-up met another milestone when FIFA gave inclusion to Pakistan Women football team in the FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking.”Under dynamic leadership of PFF Chief, we have worked hard for seven years to build up women’s football and the appreciation from FIFA means very much to us and will inspire us to do even better,” said Robina who added that Pakistan Women is in 121st spot, above 51 nations, in World Ranking.
“The standard of women’s football is progressing extremely rapidly in PFF,” Neha added, “and referees must be ready to face the challenge presented by a game which is more technical, quicker and more hard-fought on the field.The 14 participants will undergo a fitness test and take part in a training programme at Punjab Stadium, and discuss a series of important topics relating to the laws of the game.”
“Criteria will be issued to help the referees take decisions in certain key situations, such as for tackles and their consequences, and when a goal-scoring opportunity is denied. Discussions will also centre on how referees should act in the case of players who are in an offside position, but who are involved in active play.” concluded Neha.
14 Participants of Women Referee Consolidating Course
Lahore: Laila Zafar, Saiqah Waris, Fehmida Ayub, Shazia Ramzan, Sabiha Khalil, Saima Majeed, Bushra Khanam
Vehari: Huma Shehzadi
Rawalpindi: Sehrish Tariq, Rabia Hameed
Khyber Pakhtunkhawa: Salma Faiz, Shaista Kanwal
Bahawalpur: Shaista Jabeen, Huma Bilal