By Andrew Warshaw
September 25 – The world’s best referees are being put through their paces at a special workshop at FIFA headquarters this week designed to fine-tune them ahead of the 2014 World Cup finals.
Fifty-two cherry-picked officials from 46 countries are taking part having undergone stringent medical tests.
They were welcomed by FIFA President Sepp Blatter who reminded them that goal-line technology will be implemented for the first time in December at the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan.
The focus has been on fitness and medical information, as well as theory and match analysis, and in his opening speech, head of FIFA refereeing Massimo Busacca (pictured below) said those not on the list could still squeeze into the reckoning.
“It is important to underline that this is an open list,” he explained.
“Those referees who are not here today need to know that they can still make it, while others can always drop out of the group.
“We want to have the best referees available at the 2014 World Cup.”
All 52 referees will officiate at FIFA tournaments in 2013 and be monitored by the FIFA Referee Team in their national confederations.
A second seminar will then be held at the Confederations Cup in Brazil in 2013, before a final one the following year.
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