Aussie Referees On Fifa World Cup Short-list

Two of Australia's leading referees, Mark Shield and Matthew Breeze, have been short-listed for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.

Two of Australia's leading referees, Mark Shield (pictured right) and Matthew Breeze, have been short-listed for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.  The Australian duo have been selected by FIFA to participate in a five-day workshop next month in Frankfurt, Germany that will feature 46 international referees who will compete for the final 30 positions at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. The 46 candidates will also participate as match officials in various FIFA competitions throughout 2005 and will be observed and assessed on their performances at international and domestic level. The final list of FIFA World Cup referees is scheduled to be announced in the first quarter of 2006.

Brisbane-based Shield was the only Australian to officiate at the 2002 FIFA World Cup where he was the youngest referee appointed at the tournament.  The 31-year-old also refereed at the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup in France and the 2004 Asian Cup in China.  Shield has also been the Australian referee of the year in each of the last three years. The most recent international appointment for Breeze was the 2004 Kirin Cup in Japan, while the 32-year-old Sydney resident featured heavily at the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship in the United Arab Emirates culminating in selection to control the prestigious 3rd place play-off match.

Meanwhile ACT referee Ben Williams plus assistant referees Jason Power and Hakan Anaz are the new additions to feature on the FIFA international panel of match officials for 2005.  The 24-strong list of Australians includes male and female referees and assistant referees as well as Futsal referees.  Eddie Lennie former Australian referee of the year and Australian representative at the 1998 FIFA World Cup is a notable absentee from the list.  The 45-year-old West Australian having reached the retirement age for international referees after 9 years on the FIFA referees panel.

The full list of Australian FIFA match officials is:

Men-s Referees: Matthew Breeze, Con Diomis, Simon Micallef, Mark Shield, Ben Williams

Men-s Assistant Referees: Hakan Anaz, Matthew Cream, Paul Eldridge, Nathan Gibson, Jim Ouliaris, John Peacock, Jason Power, Jonathan Streater, Peter Vrtkovski, Ben Wilson

Women-s Referees: Jacqui Melksham, Tammy Ogston, Krystyna Szokolai

Women-s Assistant Referees: Sarah Ho, Airlie Keen, Jacqueline Leleu, Michelle Treloar,

Futsal Referees: Lyle Hudson, Robert Porritt