KUWAIT CITY, Jan 8: The Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Olympic Shooting Ranges Complex hosted the inauguration of the International Shotgun Referees Course. Qatari international referee Abdullah Al-Hammadi, serving as the technical representative of the International and Asian Federations, and his Kuwaiti counterpart, Mohammed Jassim Al-Fahd, Vice Chairman of the Shotgun Shooting Referees Committee, are conducting lectures concurrently with Kuwait hosting the Kuwait Championship events. This aligns with the forthcoming Asian Shotgun Championship, commencing next Saturday and spanning until January 23, featuring the participation of over 500 shooters from 26 Asian countries, vying for qualification in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Speaking at the tournament, Abdullah Al-Hammadi expressed gratitude to the Kuwaiti Shooting Federation for their request to organize an international tournament aimed at accrediting new referees with international badges before the initiation of the Asian Championship, thereby bolstering support for this crucial continental event.

Al-Hammadi elucidated the referee selection process for Asian competitions, highlighting that the AFC contacts its affiliated federations for referee nominations. The Continental Union then selects the best referees among them to oversee competitions. He emphasized the distinction between a referee and a referee level, with the first level referees eligible for lectures and participation in prestigious events like the World Open Championship and the Olympics. Al-Hammadi underscored the critical role of referees in ensuring fair play, stating that they hold the authority to validate or annul results.

Emphasizing the elite status of referees from the Asian continent, especially the Gulf region, Al-Hammadi clarified that the ongoing course focuses on refining the arbitration element, offering theoretical insights, and providing practical participation.

Muhammad Jassim Al-Fahd, the Kuwaiti referee, detailed that the current session includes 11 participants, comprising eight from Kuwait, two from the Emirates, and one from the Sultanate of Oman. The course, running from 3:00 pm to 10:00 pm, entails comprehensive training, tests, and a minimum score requirement of 85 percent for license acquisition.