Australian Referees Get Plumb Appointments
Referee Mark Shield is set to become the first Australian to referee a European World Cup qualifier following his appointment by FIFA for two matches next month. Meanwhile Sydney's Robert Porritt has been appointed to the 2004 FIFA Futsal World Championships later this year.
Brisbane-based Shield (pictured right), who was the only referee to represent Oceania at the 2002 FIFA World Cup and who is the reigning National Soccer League referee of the year, will control the Israel v Switzerland Group 4 match in Tel Aviv on Saturday 9 October and the Northern Ireland v Austria Group 6 match on October 13 in Belfast on Wednesday 13 October.
Meanwhile Sydney-based futsal referee Robert Porritt has been appointed as Oceania's lone match official at the 2004 FIFA Futsal World Championship in Chinese Taipei to be held from November 21 - December 5.
It has been a remarkable two years for the 31-year-old Shield since his appearance at the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea and Japan. He refereed at the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup in France and most recently officiated at the 2004 Asian Cup in China.
Despite the significant number of achievements in recent years Shield is looking forward to further challenges with next month's matches, "I am very excited at the prospect of refereeing two European World Cup qualifiers and it is a realisation of another goal and dream," he said.
"Hopefully this will be the first of a number of occasions where I can learn and benefit from the European football experience."
"Once again I feel privileged to fly the Australian and Oceania flag in some high profile soccer playing nations."
After eight years as a FIFA futsal referee and having officiated at three Oceania World Championship qualifying tournaments the 43-year-old Porritt will have a chance to appear at Futsal's most prestigious event. Porritt will be appearing at the tournament alongside the Qantas Futsalroos who qualified from July's Oceania tournament without losing a game or conceding a goal.
The appointments of Shield and Porritt are just the latest for Australian match officials who have figured prominently at FIFA tournaments in recent times. Referee Krystyna Szokolai, along with Jacqueline Leleu and Airlie Keen officiated at the recent Olympic football tournament while referee Tammy Ogston was joined by Leleu and Keen at last year's 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup in the USA. Another Australian trio, referee Matthew Breeze and assistant referees Nathan Gibson and Matthew Cream, performed with distinction at the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship in the United Arab Emirates.
A/National Director of Referees Barry Such says the appointments of Shield and Porritt are yet another example of what Australians can achieve with a career as a referee.
"Australian match officials are constantly being recognised by soccer's world governing body FIFA for their excellence through their ongoing appointments for various world championships," he said.
"Our match officials that are appearing on the world stage are evidence that there is a clear career path for young referees that can potentially take them to a position amongst the world's elite."
"Both Mark and Robert have worked very hard to be in the position they are in today and they both thoroughly deserve their recognition."