Contents Highlights


Police referees gain international status

 

While football fans whooped in delight at players' skills during the World Cup matches, Sergeant Fong Yau-fat and Woman Police Constable Sui Ming-wai focused their attention on refereeing. Both officers have a good reason to do so - SGT Fong has been an amateur International Referee for many years and WPC Sui has just been promoted to the same status. And the promotion has bestowed on WPC Sui the honour of being one of the first two female International Referees in Hong Kong.


SGT Fong is also an admirer of David Beckham


Having just reached the retirement age for an International Referee, forty-five-year-old SGT Fong proclaimed: "I have attained my goal, and have nothing to regret in my life!"

"Being an International Referee, I have a chance to referee many international matches in Asia, meet different people and broaden my horizons by sharing refereeing experiences with them," said SGT Fong, adding that he had the privilege of refereeing the World Cup qualifying matches held in Brunei and Vietnam in 2001 and 2005 respectively. He is also the first referee to have refereed in the final football matches in two National Games of the People's Republic of China (NGPRC).

SGT Fong has earned recognition with his refereeing performances. This includes the NGPRC Best Referee title in both 2001 and 2005, as well as a similar honour in an international seven-a-side football tournament held in Hong Kong in 2003.

Unforgettable experience

Refereeing at the matches of the Real Madrid and Manchester United held in Hong Kong was an unforgettable experience for SGT Fong. "I only watched the super stars, like Ronaldo, Beckham, Zidane and Figo, on television. I never expected to see their styles and come into contact with them at close range. It was really a privilege and absolutely memorable experience for me!"

Refereeing even in front of these super soccer idols, SGT Fong never felt edgy and upheld the rules without fear and favour. After these two matches, he became better known in local soccer circles and among local soccer fans.

SGT Fong's refereeing career has not been free of incidents. Once a player raised a strong objection when he showed him the red card, and the following day some newspapers slated at him for making a wrong judgment and called his refereeing skill into question.

This incident dealt a big blow to his confidence, prompting him to rethink his refereeing career. Luckily with the support of his wife and his more experienced peers, he subsequently regained his confidence.

Before becoming a referee, SGT Fong was fond of soccer but, being prone to injury, could not always participate. In 1992 a recruitment drive for referees by the Police Football Referees' Club switched his interest in playing to refereeing. "I guessed that by being a referee, I could continue enjoying the fun of running around on the pitches without easily getting hurt. So I handed in my application," he recalled.

The following year, SGT Fong enrolled in the Hong Kong Football Association's referee training class. After passing written and physical tests, he became a New Referee. Gradually he made it to Class I Referee and finally to International Referee.

Discipline and team spirit

For SGT Fong, police work and refereeing have a complementary effect. He explained: "Police work places emphasis on discipline and team spirit, and officers have been trained to handle emergencies. This is a great help to refereeing, and I am capable of coping with the jeering and provocation by players and fans."

To prepare for a referee's two annual physical tests, SGT Fong always keep himself match fit. He also has improved his communication skills through overseas refereeing tours. All these augur well for his job as an Assistant Training and Staff Relations Officer in Marine East Division.

After quitting the pitches, SGT Fong hopes to continue grooming new blood. WPC Sui of Yau Tsim District Intelligence Section was once one of his many promising trainees.

Female International Referee

WPC Sui's feminine outlook belies her association with football, and hardly convinces you she is an International Referee.

The Chairman of the Police Football Referees' Club, Senior Inspector Wong Shu-fong, was the driving force behind her refereeing career. Being a football enthusiast, she eventually joined SGT Fong's training class with SIP Wong's encouragement.

In 2002 WPC Sui enrolled in a referee training class conducted by the Hong Kong Football Association. Having failed in the physical test, despite her high score in the written test, she was on the verge of dropping out until SGT Fong came forward with encouragement. With further effort, she made it to International Referee status within four years.

Being a female referee, she stands out among the male players on the pitch and captures their curious looks.

"Being a female referee has not brought me any problems. On the other hand, it is easier for me to ease tension and tackle rough plays. Sometimes referees are subjected to verbal abuse on the pitches, but this seldom happened to me. Even if it did the players would apologise to me afterwards. I am glad that generally players do not doubt my refereeing ability," WPC noted.

WPC Sui made her debut as an International Referee at the Women International Competition Under 19 held in India in March this year. "My performance in the competition was okay. Hope I can do better next time," she said with modesty.

She has set her eyes on the 2007 Women World Cup Tournament to be held on the Mainland and the Olympics in Beijing in 2008. OffBeat wishes her good luck for her goals.

WPC Sui (second right) referees her first international match in India


Editor: Peter Tiu: 2860-6171
 
Reporters: Veta Wong: 2860-6172
Tony Au Yeung: 2860-6173
 
Photographers: Almon Suen: 2860-6174
Benny Ho: 2860-6175
 
Fax: 2200-4309
 
Address: 10/F, Arsenal House, Police Headquarters,
No.1 Arsenal Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
 
Internet: http://www.info.gov.hk/police
 
Email: sio-off-beat-pprb@police.gov.hk
 
Deadline for next edition: June 27, 2006
 

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