Referees' Convention signed

The common desire of UEFA and Europe's national football associations to reinforce refereeing standards and education has taken another step forward – with three more associations signing the UEFA Referees' Convention.

Signing ceremony
Representatives of the associations of Austria, Denmark and the Republic of Ireland signed the convention at a ceremony at UEFA's headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, in the presence of UEFA President Michel Platini, the chairman of the UEFA Referees Committee, Angel María Villa Llona and UEFA General Secretary David Taylor. This means that 13 European national associations have signed the convention. Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Luxembourg, Norway, Scotland, Slovenia and Switzerland were the first associations to join the accord last summer. Further members of the convention will follow soon.

Convention objectives
The UEFA convention's objectives include enhancing referee education, promoting the role of referees, and improving refereeing structures within the European associations. As an incentive, UEFA member associations receive €121,000 (CHF200,000) for referee projects when they sign the convention, and further annual payments of €60,500 over the next five years if they meet the requisite standards in that period.

Refereeing audit
Preparations for a referee convention at UEFA level began in 2003 when a UEFA referee audit of national associations showed the necessity in some countries for improvements in a variety of areas. These included organisation, recruitment, assessment and nurturing of young referees, appointments and independence of referees' bodies. After the audit had been studied and completed, the convention was then drawn up, leading to its approval at the UEFA Congress in Budapest in March 2006.

Promoting referees' status
"The convention aims to promote the status of football referees, to develop the education of match officials and improve the quality of referees," said UEFA head of refereeing Yvan Cornu. "It is also designed to ensure that the national associations keep full control of refereeing activities. It meets the needs of both the large and small national associations, and is a significant project.

High level
“[The latest three associations to sign up] have reached a very high level in refereeing organisation and education, and are ready to invest in the future of refereeing development," he added. "Congratulations to the associations present for the great work they have done on behalf of European refereeing, and that will continue to be done through this convention."