This week, prior to the start of the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup, Concacaf is hosting a Gold Cup referee seminar in Dallas, Texas in order to make sure all its referees are fully prepared for the start of the tournament. In attendance is FIFA Referee Committee Chairman Pierluigi Collina, who remains one of the most decorated referees in world football history, including officiating the 2002 FIFA World Cup Final and the 1999 UEFA Champions League Final. There is no question that Collina is a man who holds his fellow referees to high standards, and he is pleased to see that those same high standards are being applied by Concacaf in its Gold Cup referee preparation. “The objectives of this seminar are to make sure that all of the referees are ready and prepared for the tournament, and I think Concacaf is doing a very good job at this,” said Collina in an exclusive interview with Concacaf.com. “I must give a lot of credit to the Concacaf administration and to Concacaf Director of Refereeing Brian Hall for providing tools to their referees so that they may improve. They are working hard and I’m very confident they will have a successful tournament,” added Collina. With various new laws of the game going into effect this year, Collina does not anticipate any issues in the Gold Cup stemming from those rule changes. “I’m very happy that Concacaf has already implemented the new laws of the game in their Under-17 tournament, so they have the experience. The referees in Major League Soccer are already using the new laws of the game, so it is no surprise that Concacaf is prepared for these new laws,” said Collina. One of Concacaf’s main initiatives in the last few years has been providing opportunities to female referees, some of whom have had the chance to work in Concacaf Nations League and Scotiabank Concacaf League matches. For Collina, this a great step forward. “I think it is a very positive thing to see Concacaf providing those opportunities to female referees. What Concacaf is doing on that front is a great example,” said Collina. Overall, Collina has no doubt that when the referees depart this week’s seminar in Dallas, they will be ready to ensure the matches run as smoothly as possible. “We have been focused on preparation and I think with the work being done here, we will meet that objective. Brian and his staff are committed and working hard to make sure all Gold Cup referees will be fully prepared,” concluded Collina.
At age 27, Said Martinez of Honduras has already accomplished a lot as a referee. This year, he has already officiated at the 2019 FIFA Under-20 World Cup and will also referee in his first ever Concacaf Gold Cup. As part of his preparation for the Gold Cup, Martinez attended the Gold Cup referee seminar in Dallas, Texas and spoke exclusively with Concacaf.com about his experience in Poland at the Under-20 World Cup and his expectations for this summer’s Gold Cup. “I am very happy. It was something very special to be at the Under-20 World Cup. It shows that Concacaf is working in stride with FIFA and I think we had very good performances in the matches we did, especially in such an important tournament,” said Martinez. On the heels of the Under-20 World Cup, Martinez is embracing the opportunity to officiate in the Gold Cup. “There has been a lot of preparation for this tournament and I feel like I have learned a lot and I am prepared. This is a great opportunity to do things well. Nothing has been given to me, there have been hours of work and sacrifice and I plan to represent my country, my family and my friends to the best of my ability,” said Martinez. Martinez also took a moment to express his sincere thanks to Concacaf for all of the support and backing he has received from the Confederation. “Without the help of Concacaf Director of Refereeing Brian Hall and everyone at Concacaf, I would not be where I am. Because of their support, I began to work harder and began to dream that things like working in a World Cup and Gold Cup would be possible,” said Martinez. In Dallas, Martinez also had the thrill of a lifetime when he was able to interact with FIFA Referee Committee Chairman Pierluigi Collina. The Italian is one of the most decorated referees in football history, and Martinez was eager to learn as much as possible from Collina. “We know what Collina represents to refereeing and to football. He motivates us to reach new heights. He motivates us to do a good job and he motivates us to improve and grow as a referee,” concluded Martinez.
For coaches and players, participating in a Concacaf Gold Cup for the first time is always a special moment. The same thing could also be said for referees, including Jamaica’s Daneon Parchment, who after 10 years of refereeing experience will get a chance to officiate for the first time ever in a Gold Cup this summer. As part of his preparation process for his first Gold Cup, Parchment attended Concacaf’s Gold Cup referee seminar in Dallas, Texas and found the experience to be very helpful. “It has been an awesome experience to be here in the classroom, getting acquainted with the new laws of the game and doing various video quizzes. In Concacaf we preach excellence, and I think with this preparation, we can all do an excellent job,” said Parchment. On a personal level, being named as a Gold Cup referee was significant for Parchment. “It means a lot to referee in the Gold Cup. It is a great achievement. The last Jamaican referee in the Gold Cup was Courtney Campbell eight years ago, so to have the chance to represent my country and my family on this stage is a great feeling,” said Parchment. He was also quick to point out that without the support and backing given to him by Concacaf, refereeing in the 2019 Gold Cup might not have been possible. “Concacaf has done so much for me. They have given me opportunities to officiate in tournament like the Concacaf Nations League and the Concacaf Champions League. That kind of exposure had helped me grow as a referee,” said Parchment. There is no doubt that this is just the beginning for Parchment. “My dream is to one day referee in a FIFA World Cup. I know I must continue to work hard but with the help of Concacaf, I know that achieving those dreams can be possible,” concluded Parchment.
Among the 16 head referees who will be at the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup is Qatar’s Abdulraham Al-Jassim. His opportunity to officiate a match at the Gold Cup comes from the referee exchange agreement between Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Earlier this year at the Asian Cup, Cesar Ramos of Mexico officiated four matches, and so now Al-Jassim will be afforded a similar opportunity in the Gold Cup. As part of his preparation, Al-Jassim attended the Gold Cup referee seminar in Dallas that took place before the start of the tournament and spoke with Concacaf.com about the experience. “This has been a very valuable seminar and I want to express my thanks to Concacaf for its hospitality,” said Al Jassim. “This is an important seminar because we all need to be on the same page and make sure we all understand the new laws of the game,” added Al-Jassim. Among the notable items on Al-Jassim’s resume are the 2019 Asian Cup quarter-final between Iran and China, the 2017 FIFA Under-20 World Cup and serving as a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) during the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Al-Jassim believes that the experience of working a Gold Cup match will make him a better referee. “Every confederation has its own style of football, the way they think about football, different cultures, so I think refereeing in Concacaf will help me improve as a referee. It will help me for future FIFA tournaments and for the next step in my career,” said Al-Jassim. Al-Jassim also praised the initiative undertaken by Concacaf and AFC to provide a referee exchange, and feels it would be beneficial for referees everywhere. “This exchange offers new challenges. You get to experience new things as a referee and I think it would be helpful for every confederation. Most important, we are all on the same page and we are united,” concluded Al-Jassim.
