Doha: HE Minister of Sports and Youth Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al-Thani praised the advanced level reached by the elite referees, stressing his continued support for the development of the Qatari refereeing system, during his visit to the winter camp for elite referees, held at the Hilton Doha Hotel.
According to Qatar News Agency, during the visit, His Excellency was briefed on the latest developments related to the work of the referees, the camp program and its developmental goals, and he followed up on some of their technical and physical preparations, in preparation for the resumption of local championship competitions.
During his meeting with the referees, HE the Minister of Sports and Youth stressed the important role they play on the field, emphasizing the importance of delivering a level that reflects the positive image of Qatari refereeing locally and internationally. He expressed his pride in the outstanding performance of the Qatari team during their recent participation in the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025.
HE Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al-Thani affirmed his full support for the referees, urging them to continue their efforts and work, and to ignore the pressures, noting that the Qatari referee has acquired the necessary experience to manage matches efficiently in various circumstances.
His Excellency noted the success of the Qatari refereeing project, which has achieved a major qualitative leap. He pointed out that the percentage of Qatari referees in managing local matches has developed from only 5 percent until 2003, to 100 percent currently, while foreign referees are only used for the purpose of exchanging experiences.
His Excellency praised the efforts of all those in charge of the refereeing system, especially Chairman of the Referees Committee of the Qatari and Asian Football Associations Hani Taleb Ballan, and technical expert Valentin Ivanov, along with the committee members, lecturers and coaches, commending their great efforts in preparing referees and raising the level of Qatari refereeing toward the best.
For his part, Chairman of the Referees Committee affirmed that the visit of HE the Minister to the camp represents great moral support for the referees, and motivates them to continue working hard to always live up to expectations, praising the ministry's decision to allocate additional fields for training referees in support of the refereeing system and Qatari referees.
The camp features an integrated program aimed at preparing referees at all levels. The morning session includes specialized theoretical lectures on the latest amendments to the laws of the game, decision-making mechanisms, and match management, in addition to discussing various refereeing cases. The evening session is dedicated to intensive physical training and practical applications on the field.