The former international referee, Ali Hamad Al-Badwawi, revealed that the UAE was the first to use technology in football among six countries that used it with the aim of making accurate decisions early during matches, accompanied by referees from the Netherlands, England, Spain, Italy and Germany, which later laid the foundations for the use of video technology, and the development that It became the Emirati whistle.
Al-Badwawi told Emirates Today: “We benefited from conference call technology via mobile phone during refereeing a number of local matches, to consult and make precise decisions, which later developed into the (Third Eye) experience,” explaining that “stadium judges before the application of video technology were They work with one chance, while current football referees have several methods that help them make sound decisions.”
He added: “The Emirati stadium judges have excelled in many matches and tournaments, at the continental and global levels, and their leadership in decisive and influential matches laid the foundations for a qualitative shift in Emirati, Arab and Asian arbitration. The absence of our stadium judges from the strongest competitions at various levels reflects their status and importance as capable referees during their leadership of the matches, which led to the assignment of an elite group of them to referee in World Cups, including Ali Bu Jassim, Muhammad Abdullah Hassan, and a number of assistant referees.”
Regarding the secret of his success as an international referee, he represented the UAE in many international competitions. He said: “I used to hold myself accountable after every match I managed by recording the positives and negatives, and analyzing the decisions he made, while reviewing every small and big thing.”
Al-Badwawi said: “The great passion for arbitration, and my love for this sporting profession, paved the way for me to continue in arbitration for a long period, which extended during the period between 2005 and 2014, during which I led 120 international matches and more than 2,000 local matches, before assuming several administrative tasks, both locally and in the Arab world. “I advise stadium judges looking for success to be passionate about arbitration, and not to be arrogant in making decisions.”
Al-Badwawi is proud to have led the final match of the President’s Cup in 2006 between Al Ain and Sharjah, which he described as one of the strong and important matches in his refereeing career, while he remembers the match between South Korea and Japan in the 2007 Asian Cup, stressing that it was the most difficult, but he led it to safety, in addition to His participation in refereeing in the World Youth and Junior Championships.
He concluded: “At the present time, I am staying away from sports work, whether it is in arbitration or otherwise, after my retirement from professional work as well, as I prefer to stay away from pressure at the present time.” Al-Badwawi expressed his happiness at retiring from arbitration at the peak of his career, indicating that this is important for the international referee, to maintain his arbitration career, and to become a role model for new stadium judges.
Ali Al-Badwawi:
• I advise stadium judges looking for success to be passionate about arbitration, and not to be arrogant in making decisions.
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