FIFA holds training conference

This week a group of people you normally see on the nation’s playing fields will be gathering at the Fiesta Inn for Futuro II, the Federation International de Football Association, FIFA, Educational Programme. The reason? To learn more about this sport and how to improve the way it is played in Belize.

Constantinos Soupliotis, FIFA Instructor

“This is a very important program from FIFA that was launched about seven years ago. Actually the President of FIFA, he is the man that created this course, the Futuro course. The purpose of the course is to start from underdeveloped countries to highly developed countries.”

We asked Constantinos and one of Belize’s well-known referees about the direction they would like to see Belizean football take.

Constantinos Soupliotis

“To make the game more safe, more cleaner, less violent. Less losing players but just the best players. The best players have been lost because of injuries.”

Ruperto Vicente

“I believe that the first course that we had will improve our referee abilities in Belize.”

Q: “What is your main purpose of taking part in this course?”

Ruperto Vicente

“One of my main purposes is to improve my international standard of refereeing and also participate in more international competitions, regionally and in other parts of the world.”

Representative from the Ministry of Sports Marshall Nuñez says that he hopes the course will benefit all footballers.

Marshall Nuñez, Ministry of Sports

“I want to challenge all the participants to make sure that you grasp as many of the information, if not all the information, that is passed on to extremely able core of representatives from FIFA led by the Technical Director of FIFA Mr. Raul Magaña. I am positively sure that this will be taken back with our local football. I see teachers, I see coaches, I see players, so I am particularly excited by the people who will actually benefit from the course.”

Hyacinth Latchman for News Five.

The course will last six days. This is the second year Coca Cola has sponsored the Futuro Educational Programme.