The New Zealand Football Referees Committee has announced that 4 referees have been selected for the Rio Olympics.
They are namely Matthew Conger and Simon Lount for the male tournament while Anna-Marie Keighley and Sarah Jones have been selected for the women competition.
Rod Pelosi, who is the deputy chairman of The New Zealand Football Referees Committee, has stated that it is a big honor to officiate at the Olympics football tournament. For him, it has the same value as officiating at the FIFA World Cup. He said that the referees have earned the right to officiate at the Olympics thanks to their excellent performance on the pitch.
He stated that it had always been the objective of the New Zealand Football Referees Committee to develop quality referees that can officiate at the highest level. He said that the four referees that have been designated to officiate at the Olympics had been consistent at different FIFA tournaments, and this is why they have been rewarded.
Pelosi added that the The New Zealand Football Referees Committee has a clear policy in place that helps the development of referees. This is achieved by sending the referees to officiate in international tournaments where they are exposed to high-level football. There are also exchange programs that allow New Zealand referees to interact with England referees that officiate in the Premier League.
He said that the referees that have been selected to officiate at the Olympics had been working hard in order to improve themselves and this time they have been rewarded.
The Olympic Football Tournament will be held from the 3rd of August to the 21st of August. The final of both the men’s and women’s tournament will be held in the Maracana.