Italian referees visit Football NSW
-By Mark Stavroulakis
The visiting party, fresh from their weekend duties in officiating the Round 9 TeleChoice Premier League clash between Marconi Stallions and Sydney Tigers, took in the sights of Football NSW?s headquarters as well as having lunch with Football NSW President Jim Forrest, Football NSW CEO Michael Quarmby, Football NSW Director George Jackson and former Football NSW Director Ross Kelly.
Assistant treasurer of the Australian Soccer Referees Foundation and well known whistleblower Sandro Perticarini has also been instrumental in assisting the Italian delegates around Sydney.
Hailing from the region of Umbria, the Italian delegation consisted of four referees and six executives from FIGC and AIA.
As part of referee development the Australian Italian Referee Exchange Association (AIFREA) has made this year?s program possible with the collaboration of Football NSW and the NSW State League Football Referees Inc and with the support of their sponsors Hyundai Motor Company Australia, Hallmark Unipro and Balmain Commercial.
Their ten day extensive program saw the delegation visit Football NSW headquarters, Italian Consulate, ANZ Stadium, Club Marconi, Bankstown Sports Club, The Waterfront at Homebush Bay and Hyundai Motor Company Australia.
The reciprocal exchange program will see four Australian referees from the NSW State League Referees Inc be selected on performance to ply their profession in Italy around September this year.
Apart from football and refereeing the exchange program provides a continuation in experiencing different cultures, sharing administration ideas and an insight on new techniques to benefit overall the game we love so much.
The delegation consisted of the following referees and Executives:
? Roberto Mattei, Leonardo Biccheri, Raffaele Agro? and Diego Di Bagio. (Referees)
? Luigi Repace (President of the National Regional Amateur League, Italian Referees Association Representative ( AIA) and Federal Consigliere to FIGC Roma)
? Nino Cosentino (Vice President National Amateur League)
? Giovanni Bonato (President of the Youth National Regional Amateur League)
? Giuseppe Palmerini (Vice President of Umbria Regional Comittee)
? Gianpiero Micciani (Provincial President National Amateur League- Terni)
? Virgilio Ubaldi (Provincial President National Amateur League- Perugia)
