Former international top referee Viktor Kassai will act as "Technical Director" in the Referee Department of the Austrian Football Federation (ÖFB). The Hungarian succedeed in the application process among national and international candidates. A FIFA referee between 2003-2019, Kassai reached the pinnacle of his career at the 2011 UEFA Champions League final between FC Barcelona and Manchester United at London's Wembley stadium. At the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008, he also refereed the Gold Medal final. In addition, the 47-year-old was a referee at the 2008, 2012 and 2016 European Championships, as well as at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, where he refereed the semi-final Spain - Germany. On 14 December 2016, Kassai became the first referee to award a penalty after viewing a video replay in a Club World Cup match, doing so in the 2016 FIFA Club World Cup semi finals between Atletico Nacional and Kashima Antlers. Since the end of his active career in 2019, he has worked as an observer and consultant for UEFA and in refereeing management for various national associations (Russia, Bulgaria). Kassai, who speaks German, as well as Hungarian and English, had his last contract so far in the Bulgarian association.
According to the ÖFB, Kassai's appointment is "the next important step in the ongoing process of evaluating and professionalizing the Austrian refereeing system". Most recently, wrong decisions in the Austrian Bundesliga caused a stir, and there are said to have been disagreements within the referee leadership for a long time. Another negative point is that there has not been an Austrian referee at a World Cup or European Championship since 2008. Going forward, Kassai will be joined by his long-time assistant György Ring, who will assume the position of VAR manager. Ali Hofmann has been in charge of the full-time area of refereeing since February. Along with him, Kassai and Ring will now take care of the domestic elite referees. The activities of the Referees Committee, the highest decision body in the area of refereeing, headed by Robert Sedlacek, remain unchanged and are carried out in close coordination and cooperation with the main office.
Kassai said in an ÖFB broadcast about his new task: "I know the challenges that await us and, together with György Ring, I am highly motivated to tackle them along with the ÖFB team, the Bundesliga and of course the referees." Sedlacek described Kassai as "an international top referee. His large international network and his standing at UEFA will certainly be profitable for this process," said the Viennese. Bundesliga CEO Christian Ebenbauer also welcomed Kassai's appointment. "It is very gratifying that we can start the coming season with a new person in the main office, strengthened with broad expertise."
Source: OE24
