With the countdown to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia now underway, FIFA has organised a second Elite AFC, CAF and OFC Referees Seminar in the Aspire Sports Centre in the Qatari capital Doha. The seminar was held on 10-14 November and brought together prospective referees from three FIFA Confederations. Ten referees from Asia, nine from Africa and three from Oceania were invited to the seminar with the aim of helping them improve their preparations for the future FIFA competitions. The referees went through a host of activities that included theoretical sessions in the classroom as well as practical sessions on the field of play. Theoretical sessions focused on specific topics such as reading of the game and positioning to tackles and penalty area incidents. The referees discussed videos of the incidents from 2014 World Cup matches in Brazil to achieve consistency and uniformity. They also took part in a series of fitness tests such as 40 meter sprints, the high intensity interval test and the dynamic yo-yo test. Practical sessions on the field of play brought players and referees together to simulate what happens in a game and immediate feedback was given to referees regarding their reading of the play, leading to their movement, position, angle of view and decisions. The instructors provided immediate feedback to improve performances. The preparation related to the referee's project for future FIFA competitions leading to 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia will continue this week with the last FIFA Elite referees seminar of the year in Zurich. (Source: FIFA)
AFC
1. Ryuji Sato (JPN, 1977)
2. Yudai Yamamoto (JPN, 1983)
3. Mohd Bin Yaacob (MSA, 1986)
4. Abdulrahman Al-Jassim (QAT, 1987)
5. Fahad Al-Marri (QAT, 1986)
6. Fahad Al-Mirdasi (KSA, 1985)
7. Muhammad Bin Jahari (SIN, 1986)
8. Kim Dae-Yong (KOR, 1981)
9. Ko Hyung-Jin (KOR, 1982)
10. Hettikamkanamge Perera (SRI, 1978)
11. Ammar Al-Jeneibi (UAE, 1982)
12. Abdulla Muhammad (UAE, 1978)
CAF
1. Mehdi Abid Charef (ALG, 1980)
2. Juste Ephrem Zio (BFA, 1977)
3. Ghead Grisha (EGY, 1976)
4. Bamlaku Weyesa (ETH, 1980)
5. Eric Otogo Castane (GAB, 1976)
6. Joseph Lamptey (GHA, 1974)
7. Davies Omweno (KEN, 1984)
8. Mahamadou Keita (MLI, 1983)
9. Maguette N’Diaye (SEN, 1986)
10. Bernard Camille (SEY, 1975)
11. Victor Gomes (RSA, 1982)
13. Janny Sikazwe (ZAM, 1979)
OFC
1. Matthew Conger (NZL, 1978)
2. Gerald Oiaka (SOL, 1975)
3. Abdelkader Zitouni (TAH, 1981)
