Event is latest in series of CONCACAF referee development projects supported by Comex

Miami (Thursday, March 19, 2015) – The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) announced today the opening of its International Referee Symposium presented by Comex/Futline, the latest in a series of such symposiums for FIFA international referees from across the Confederation. The current edition opens today, March 19, and runs through March 22, in the Ft. Lauderdale, Florida area.

This International Referee Symposium welcomes 50 of the CONCACAF referees new this year to the FIFA international referee list. Designed as a motivational and informational series of sessions for this elite group of officials, the event programming focuses on technical matters as well as the philosophy of refereeing.

“We are pleased to welcome this group of top international referees to Florida for the International Referee Symposium presented by Comex/Futline,” said CONCACAF General Secretary Enrique Sanz. “Further development of our world class referees is an important responsibility that goes hand in hand with CONCACAF’s commitment to broad based development efforts in support of the game across the region.”

The symposium format features classroom meetings as well as field training sessions, to be led by six former World Cup Referees, headed by CONCACAF Director of Refereeing Sonia Denoncourt. Event instructors include retired FIFA international referees Armando Archundia (MEX), Arturo Brizio (MEX), Edgardo Codesal (MEX) and Brian Hall (USA), as well as FIFA Referee Instructors Peter Prendergast and Rodolfo Sibrian. FIFA Fitness Instructor Alan Brown will also be on hand to oversee the fitness and training areas of the sessions.

Comex, a leader in manufacturing, marketing and distribution of more than 1500 solutions — decorative paints, textures, sealants, products for wood care, and more — with presence from Canada to Panama and in South America and Asia, has supported CONCACAF initiatives in referee development since 2013. The company also provides its Futline brand disappearing spray – an important tool in allowing officials to effectively manage matches — to CONCACAF referees during official competitions such as the ongoing Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League.

This week’s symposium in Ft. Lauderdale will be followed by an additional referee training event to take place next month at the Dallas Cup, one of the largest and most successful youth tournaments in the world. Eighteen of the new CONCACAF referees from the FIFA international list will officiate at the tournament.

The CONCACAF Referee Symposium Presented by Comex/Futline at the Dallas Cup, scheduled for April 2 and also led by Sonia Denoncourt and a team of former FIFA international match officials, will focus on analysis of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil, new trends in refereeing, preparation for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada, and referee fitness preparation.