Referees: Beltrano in Cyprus for introductory course for international referees

Michele Beltrano, recently appointed international referee for San Marino, took part in the 33rd Introductory Course for International Referees, organised by UEFA in Cyprus alongside the 32nd Advanced Course for Elite Referees. The latter, for example, was attended by the cream of European refereeing, from Orsato and Marciniak to Oliver and Turpin – to name but a few. All in Limassol, they followed an intense and demanding programme, tailor-made for the different categories involved. For Beltrano and the other 53 referees who have just embarked on their international careers, everything began with an initial medical examination followed by a sight test. The first day, on 27 January, concluded with work on injury prevention. The activity schedule was repeated the following morning, this time including body-weight measurement. Immediately after lunch came the official opening of the course by Roberto Rosetti – UEFA Chief Refereeing Officer – who then handed over to Velasco and Kuipers for a detailed explanation of the project launched in Limassol and practical advice on how to get the best out of their performances. The indispensable test on the Laws of the Game, applied to a video session, led Beltrano and his colleagues into the subsequent analysis of positioning on the pitch and reading of match situations. In the following days, the work alternated between classroom and pitch, without neglecting the smallest detail. From evaluating handball offences to managing mental and emotional energy in order to ensure proper match control, and including leadership dynamics and teamwork to be developed together with the other match officials – nothing was left to chance. There were in-depth sessions on incidents in the penalty area and on tactical fouls, as well as a detailed presentation on the risks associated with match-fixing – from which referees, too, are not immune.

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