TCIFA Hosts First Match Commissioner’s Course
A three-day Match Commissioner’s (MC) course was held under the guidance of Patrick Beckles, a former Barbados Football Association General Secretary, at the Turks and Caicos Islands Football Association (TCIFA) National Academy on February 15-17th, 2019. Beckles is a FIFA Match Commissioner with 16 years experience, a FIFA Security Officer, Consultant and Instructor for at least 10 years). He has done extensive work in the FIFA World Cup games, including the most recent Men’s World Cup, Russia.
The role of a Match Commissioner is of paramount importance to the organization of a football match. The Match Commissioner implements the rules and regulations to ensure that a match is properly organized and proceed in an efficient manner, upholding the standards of the game. TCIFA has grown in scale, stature, and quality within recent years. The Match Commissioner's course is one of TCIFA’s latest administrative developments, introduced with the intent to provide the tools for success in upcoming matches and tournaments held in the Turks & Caicos Islands and to protect the integrity of the game, raising the profile of the association and those who participate at the various levels of competition.
The participants of the MC Course underwent a series of intensive workshops, which included the following topics:
-The role of a match commissioner
-The organization of a football match
-Stadium and facility inspections
-Review and assessment of a football match and report writing
-Safety and Security
-Crisis management
Throughout the course, the participants analyzed various case studies to further strengthen their confidence in dealing with various scenarios. They were allowed the opportunity to analyze and engage with the Provo Premier League match, Cheshire Hall vs. Beaches FC. The participants also underwent various oral, written and practical assessments to assist with their development. Twelve (12) Match Commissioners were successful and received certificates of achievement at the end of the course. These Match Commissioners will be appointed to the domestic league games including the Provo Premier League.
