The FIFA Referees Committee has confirmed the appointment of 88 match officials from over 40 countries to officiate at the Olympic Football Tournament Rio 2016. The men’s competition will see 18 referees and 32 assistant referees officiate and at the women’s tournament, 14 referees and 24 assistant referees will be on duty. In both competitions, all six FIFA Confederations will be represented. The Olympic Football Tournament Rio 2016 represents the first important step on the road to the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 and the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019 for match officials.
In April, two FIFA training seminars on refereeing took place in Doha, Qatar and Miami, USA respectively. Hosted by FIFA’s Head of Refereeing, Massimo Busacca, the seminars brought male and female referees together for the first time in FIFA’s history and saw them take part in various activities together, including theoretical classroom sessions and practical sessions on the pitch. Some of the selected Olympic Football Tournament match officials attended the events. Speaking about the seminars, Massimo Busacca said: “Our philosophy is that men and women have to work together, this is something we are certain of. The game and the decisions male and female referees have to take are the same, so it makes sense that the training of male and female referees and assistant referees should be the same too.” Additionally FIFA’s Head of Refereeing underlined the importance of the technical side of football and the integration of FIFA’s Technical Department headed by Jean-Paul Brigger, in referee preparation programmes: “FIFA’s Refereeing Team works just like the technical staff of any national football team. We are there alongside the coaches”, said Busacca. He added that: ”during the preparation and on the pitch being able to read the game, understand football and protect the players as well as the image of football whilst insuring respect and fair play is maintained at all times, is crucial for a referee.” A team of technical instructors including former international referees, fitness instructors, physiotherapists and sports scientists will regularly review the referees selected to officiate at the upcoming Olympic Football Tournament. The Olympic Football Tournament Rio 2016 will take place from 3-21 August, with the competition’s men’s and women’s finals taking place in the iconic Maracanã stadium. The opening game of the tournament, the first group game of the women's competition, will be played at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday, 3 August. Seven stadiums will host Olympic Football Tournament competitions including 2014 FIFA World Cup host venues: Belo Horizonte, Manaus, Salvador and Sao Paulo. (Source: FIFA)
Men's Olympic Football Tournament 2016
AFC
Referee: Fahad Al Mirdasi (KSA, 1985, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Abdulla Al Shalwai (KSA, 1975)
Assistant Referee 2: Mohammed Al Abakry (KSA, 1980)
Referee: Alireza Faghani (IRN, 1978)
Assistant Referee 1: Reza Sokhandan (IRN, 1974)
Assistant Referee 2: Mohammadreza Mansouri (IRN, 1978)
Referee: Ryuji Sato (JPN, 1977)
Assistant Referee 1: Toru Sagara (JPN, 1976)
Assistant Referee 2: Hiroshi Yamauchi (JPN, 1979)
CAF
Referee: Malang Diedhou (SEN, 1973)
Assistant Referee 1: Djibril Camara (SEN, 1983)
Assistant Referee 2: El Hadji Samba (SEN, 1979)
Referee: Ghead Grisha (EGY, 1976)
Assistant Referee 1: Redouane Achik (MAR, 1972)
Assistant Referee 2: Waleed Ahmed (SDN, 1974)
Support Referee: Jospeh Lamptey (GHA, 1974)
CONCACAF
Referee: Walter Lopez (GUA, 1980)
Assistant Referee 1: Leonel Leal (CRC, 1976)
Assistant Referee 2: Gerson Lopez (GUA, 1983)
Referee: Cesar Ramos (MEX, 1983)
Assistant Referee 1: Marvin Torrentera (MEX, 1971)
Assistant Referee 2: Miguel Hernandez (MEX, 1977)
CONMEBOL
Referee: Nestor Pitana (ARG, 1975)
Assistant Referee 1: Hernan Maidana (ARG, 1972)
Assistant Referee 2: Juan Belatti (ARG, 1979)
Referee: Sandro Ricci (BRA, 1974)
Assistant Referee 1: Emerson De Carvalho (BRA, 1972)
Assistant Referee 2: Marcelo Van Gasse (BRA, 1976)
Referee: Roddy Zambrano (ECU, 1978)
Assistant Referee 1: Christian Lescano (ECU, 1983)
Assistant Referee 2: Byron Romero (ECU, 1980)
Support Referee: Diego Haro (PER, 1982)
OFC
Referee: Matthew Conger (NZL, 1978)
Assistant Referee 1: Simon Lount (NZL, 1981)
Assistant Referee 2: Tevita Makasini (TGA, 1976)
UEFA
Referee: Cüneyt Cakir (TUR, 1976)
Assistant Referee 1: Bahattin Duran (TUR, 1975)
Assistant Referee 2: Tarik Ongun (TUR, 1973)
Referee: Ovidiu Hategan (ROU, 1980)
Assistant Referee 1: Octavian Sovre (ROU, 1973)
Assistant Referee 2: Sebastian Gheorghe (ROU, 1976)
Referee: Sergei Karasev (RUS, 1979)
Assistant Referee 1: Tikhon Kalugin (RUS, 1974)
Assistant Referee 2: Nikolai Golubev (RUS, 1970)
Referee: Antonio Mateu Lahoz (ESP, 1977)
Assistant Referee 1: Pau Cebrian Devis (ESP, 1979)
Assistant Referee 2: Roberto Diaz Perez (ESP, 1976)
Referee: Clement Turpin (FRA, 1982)
Assistant Referee 1: Frederic Cano (FRA, 1973)
Assistant Referee 2: Nicolas Danos (FRA, 1980)
Women's Olympic Football Tournament 2016
AFC
Referee: Rita Gani (MAS, 1977, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Allyson Flynn (AUS, 1982)
Assistant Referee 2: Naomi Teshirogi (JPN, 1980)
Referee: Hyang Ok Ri (PRK, 1977)
Assistant Referee 1: Kum Nyo Hong (PRK, 1973)
Assistant Referee 2: Yongmei Cui (CHN, 1979)
CAF
Referee: Gladys Lengwe (ZAM, 1978)
Assistant Referee 1: Bernadettar Kwimbira (MWI, 1981)
Assistant Referee 2: Souad Oulhaj (MAR, 1974)
CONCACAF
Referee: Carol Anne Chenard (CAN, 1977)
Assistant Referee 1: Marie-Josee Charbonneau (CAN, 1982)
Assistant Referee 2: Suzanne Morisset (CAN, 1984)
Referee: Lucila Venegas (MEX, 1981)
Assistant Referee 1: Enedina Caudillo (MEX, 1984)
Assistant Referee 2: Mayte Chavez (MEX, 1979)
Support Referee: Melissa Borjas (HON, 1986)
CONMEBOL
Referee: Olga Miranda (PAR, 1982)
Assistant Referee 1: Mariana De Almeida (ARG, 1982)
Assistant Referee 2: Yoleida Lara (VEN, 1985)
Referee: Claudia Umpierrez (URU, 1983)
Assistant Referee 1: Loreto Toloza (CHI, 1984)
Assistant Referee 2: Neuza Back (BRA, 1984)
Support Referee: Maria Carvajal (CHI, 1983)
OFC
Referee: Anna-Marie Keighley (NZL, 1982)
Assistant Referee 1: Sarah Jones (NZL, 1990)
Assistant Referee 2: Lata Kaumatule (TGA, 1985)
UEFA
Referee: Teodora Albon (ROU, 1977)
Assistant Referee 1: Petruta Iugulescu (ROU, 1979)
Assistant Referee 2: Maria Sukenikova (SVK, 1975)
Referee: Stephanie Frappart (FRA, 1983)
Assistant Referee 1: Manuela Nicolosi (FRA, 1980)
Assistant Referee 2: Yolanda Parga Rodriguez (ESP, 1978)
Referee: Kateryna Monzul (UKR, 1981)
Assistant Referee 1: Natalia Rachynska (UKR, 1970)
Assistant Referee 2: Sanja Rodak Karsic (CRO, 1983)
Referee: Esther Staubli (SUI, 1979)
Assistant Referee 1: Lucie Ratajova (CZE, 1979)
Assistant Referee 2: Chrysoula Kourompylia (GRE, 1977)
