STORY: SOMALIA REFEREES RECEIVE FIFA

TRAINING
DURATION: 2:57
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INFORMATION
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/SOMALI/NATURAL SOUND
DATELINE: 2015/04/28 MOGADISHU, SOMALIA
SHOTLIST
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Wide shot, Somali referees jogging

Med shot, Somali referees jogging
Wide shot, FIFA fitness referee instructor looks on as the referees jog
Med shot, Somali referees jogging
Med shot, FIFA fitness referee instructor demonstrates the next drill
Close up, FIFA fitness referee instructor and Somali football official observe
the referees as they carry out the drill
7. SOUNDBITE (Somali), Ali Abdi Mohamed, Vice Chairman, Somalia
Football Federation:

This shows that there is peace in the country. Somalia has

hosted a FIFA grassroots football training for boys, in 2014 an
MA course was also held here and now you can see another
MA course conducted by FIFA. The head of FIFA Africa Referee
Development is here and will be with us for 3 days. FIFA has
been coming because peace in Somalia has been improving
and we hope to undertake more training in other regions as
well.

8. Wide shot, Somali referees taking the Yo-Yo Intermittent Test

9. Med shot, Somali Football Federation official monitors the referees as they
take the Yo-Yo Intermittent Test
10.Close up, Somali Football Federation official monitors the referees as they
take the Yo-Yo Intermittent Test
11.SOUNDBITE (English), Ahmed Al Shanawi, FIFA Africa Regional
Development Officer:
There was a period in Somalia, things were not good and its image
was not conducive for FIFA courses. But now FIFA are very happy
and also this year I think FIFA have sent a lot of things that are very
good for the referees and next year Insha'allah will send more and
more.
12.Wide shot, Somali referees warming up
13.Med shot, Somali referees warming up
14.Close up, pan down, Somali referee warming up

15.
SOUNDBITE (Somali), Aweys Abdullahi Sheikh, Somalia
International Assistant Referee:
I am an International Assistant Referee. I officiated in many
international football matches like in Tunisia where I took part in a
match between Libya and Chad. I also officiated in Angola this year.
I have also taken part in a match between Burundi and Egypt. I
have also been in Djibouti several times and many other places. I
became an International Assistant Referee in 2014. I hope to learn
more and gain more experience so that I can officiate a final

world cup match in 2018, that is my dream.

16.so that I can officiate a final world cup match in 2018, that is my dream,
17.Wide shot, Referee and players watch on as an injured player gets
treatment
18.Med shot, player objecting the referee's decision
19.Med shot, player looking on
20.Wide shot, Referee taking down the name of the player who has
committed the crime

SCRIPT
FIFA officials train Somalia referees
Instructors from FIFA, the world soccer governing body are in
Somalia for a high-level training and fitness test for up to 30 local
and international Somali referees. The training comes at a time
marked with increased participation in sports activities especially in
the Capital Mogadishu, as the country continues its journey of
recovery from years of conflict.
Somalia has three football divisions that bring together over 20
football clubs and for the first time in the countrys history, the local
league has attracted foreign players from Nigeria, Kenya and
Uganda.
The three-day training that kicked off on Tuesday (28 th April 2015) is
facilitated by FIFA Instructor and Africa Regional Development
Officer Ahmed Al Shanawi from Egypt and Hassan Mohamed Hassan,
a Jordanian FIFA Fitness Instructor. The course is targeted at Somali
referees officiating in the first and second divisions of the Somalia
Premier League as well as some International referees and assistant
referees from Somalia.
Speaking at the opening of the training, the Vice Chairman Somalia
Football Federation Ali Abdi Mohamed noted that the rise in such
activities is symbolic of the progress Somalia is making.
This shows that there is peace in the country. Somalia has hosted a
FIFA grassroots football training for boys, in 2014 an MA course was

also held here and now you can see another MA course conducted
by FIFA. The head of FIFA Africa Referee Development is here and
will be with us for 3 days. FIFA has been coming because peace in
Somalia has been improving and we hope undertake more training
in other regions as well, he said.

FIFA Africa Regional Development Officer Ahmed Al Shanawi

reiterated the continued support of the international football body
towards development of the game in Somalia.

There was a period in Somalia, things were not good and its image
was not conducive for FIFA courses. But now FIFA are very happy
and also this year I think FIFA have sent a lot of things that are very
good for the referees and next year Insha'allah will send more and
more, he pledged.
Some of the course participants have had international exposure,
officiating at games in different countries.
Somalia International Assistant Referee Aweys Abdullahi Sheikh,
said he hoped to hone his skills further through this training. I am
an International Assistant Referee. I officiated in many international
football matches like in Tunisia where I took part in a match between
Libya and Chad. I also officiated in Angola this year. I have also
taken part in a match between Burundi and Egypt. I have also been
in Djibouti several times and many other places. I became an
International Assistant Referee in 2014. I hope to learn more and
gain more experience, so that I can officiate a final world cup match
in 2018, that is my dream, he said.
Speaking on behalf of the government at the launch of the training,
the Assistant Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Adan Dubow
reiterated the governments commitment to support sports and the
youth and thanked FIFA for the enduring support they continue to
extend towards development of the game in Somalia.
FIFA supports Somalia with such high level technical trainings and
also supported the construction and carpeting of Banadir stadium.
End.