Kurt Okraku urges young referees to master the Laws of the Game

Ghana Football Association President Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku has challenged participants at the FIFA Member Association (MA) Young Talent Refereeing Course to make studying the Laws of the Game a lifelong habit as they pursue careers in officiating.

Addressing the young referees at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence in Prampram, Okraku stressed that a thorough understanding of football's laws is essential for every successful referee.

Drawing a comparison with religious leaders, he encouraged the participants to know the Laws of the Game inside out.

"Just as Muslim clerics have the verses of the Holy Qur'an at their fingertips, and Christian preachers know the verses of the Bible, referees must also have the Laws of the Game at their fingertips. Always read it. It is your book."

The GFA President said technical knowledge, together with physical fitness and sound match management, forms the foundation of quality officiating.

He also urged the aspiring referees to remain disciplined, humble and committed to continuous learning.

"Every great referee is first a student of the game. Never stop learning. Read the Laws of the Game regularly, ask questions, and take every opportunity to improve yourselves."

The six-day FIFA MA Young Talent Refereeing Course is part of FIFA's capacity-building programme and the GFA's Catch Them Young Refereeing Policy, which aims to develop the next generation of elite Ghanaian match officials.

The programme is being led by FIFA Technical Instructor Essameldin Abdelfattah Hassan Abdelhamid of Egypt and FIFA Physical Instructor Boubakar Hannachi of Tunisia.