Arbitration work must ensure objectivity and transparency.

Putting fairness and transparency first

Accompanying from the first seasons, up to now, referee Nguyen Hoang Anh has participated in officiating matches of the Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth and Children Football Tournament for more than 20 years. Having been assigned to officiate at national tournaments, he is now the referee of the Federation.Vietnamese Footballinvited to participate as a supervisor, but every time he returns to be the referee at the playground of Nghe An children and teenagers, he always feels excited.

The referee team met to discuss the management of the matches. Photo: Cong Kien

Referee Nguyen Hoang Anh shared: “I have been participating in this tournament for more than 20 years, and have witnessed many generations of players participating and growing up, later becoming bright stars on all football fields in and outside the country. Youth and Children's Football TournamentNghe An Newspaper CupIt is truly a great playground for young players across the province, with a tradition and a well-established brand. Therefore, every time I referee this playground, I feel very happy and always try my best to make the matches exciting and fair.

Talking about his refereeing perspective, Mr. Hoang Anh shared: When stepping onto the field to officiate a match, the issue of fairness and transparency must always be put first for referees. Before any situation occurs, the referee must consider to make the right decisions, ensuring objectivity and honesty to bring confidence to the players and spectators.

The referees participating in the tournament are all well-trained. Photo: Cong Kien

Also a referee with many years of experience in the tournament, this year Mr. Le Manh Hung was assigned to be the Head of the Referee Team.refereeSharing his opinion, Mr. Hung said: “Many people think that with grassroots tournaments, especially playgrounds for teenagers and children, the punishment and fouls on the field should be “more lenient” than in professional tournaments. But I don’t think so, with situations of intentional fouls, malicious tackles, and unprofessionalism, all must be handled very strictly, without leniency.”

According to referee Le Manh Hung, along with the innocence and naturalness of young players when participating in the tournament, adults need to train them in professionalism from an early age, cultivating a sense of fairness and honesty in sports competitions. Managing and strictly handling matches will contribute significantly to helping them move towards the professionalism of a player.

This year, the Referee Team of the Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth and Children Football Tournament has 20 members participating in the officiating, including 2 referees currently working at the V-League - the national football championship, Nguyen Dinh Thai and Tran Duy Khanh. In addition, there are 2 referees currently assigned to officiate at the National First Division and 3 referees who have officiated matches at otherfootball tournamentNational Youth. The remaining members come from units under the Department of Culture and Sports of Nghe An.

Mr. Nguyen Dinh Nghia said that he has thoroughly instructed the Referee Team to perform well in managing the matches. Photo: Cong Kien

The members of the Referee Team are all experienced referees, having participated in the management of professional tournaments, and can ensure that the matches of the Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth and Children Football Tournament will take place honestly and objectively.

On the afternoon of June 9, the Referee Panel met to discuss and agree on professional issues before entering the tournament. The referees were thoroughly briefed on the tournament regulations and agreed on solutions to handle sensitive situations that could cause controversy, ensuring that allmatchwent smoothly.

Meet the expectations of players and fans

Head of the Referee Team Le Manh Hung said that this year there are some new points in the refereeing work, the most notable of which is that instead of being assigned to manage from the beginning like previous years, referees will be assigned before each match. That means when referees receive their duties when the match is about to take place, this will avoid the possibility ofCoaching Staffteams contact the referee in advance.

Referees have also been thoroughly informed and reminded to limit contact and closeness with the coaching staff of the teams, not to socialize or eat to avoid favoritism in the management of the match. When not on duty, members of the referee team must be present to monitor the progress of the match to gain experience, especially when controversial situations and issues arise.

Referee team members try their best to ensure the matches are exciting. Photo courtesy

The changes in refereeing are aimed at creating a healthy playing field, ensuring fairness and objectivity for each match. In addition, strengthening supervision and promptly handling violations so that referees can perform their duties in the best way, creating trust for players of all teams and the entire audience.

Players, coaches of teams and a large number of supporters of the province are looking forward to the matches of the Youth and Children Football Tournament of Nghe An Newspaper Cup, which will take place with an objective and honest spirit. This is what has created the prestige and brand of Nghe An Newspaper Cup over the past decades.

The referees promised to run the matches fairly and objectively. Photo: Archive

Coming from a remote border district, Mr. Vo Dinh Tuan - Coach of the Tuong Duong children's team said: "The young players of the team have been practicing for several months now, and all of them are eager and excited to wait for the competition day. I hope that the referees who manage the matches will always be honest and objective so that the children can keep their faith in this useful playground."

Sharing the same thoughts with coach Vo Dinh Tuan, Mr. Vo Van Phuong - a member of the coaching board of Hung Nguyen youth and children's teams, confided that the football teams of the Soviet homeland set high goals in this year's tournament. In the past time, theplayerhave worked hard and have a common desire to contribute. The most important thing for both teachers and students is that the refereeing work must ensure professionalism and uphold honesty in management.

Cong Kien