Sports
Hussein Turki, Assistant Director of the Referees Department at the Iraqi Football Association, confirmed that the inclusion of Arab referees in the Iraqi Stars League is part of a comprehensive plan aimed at marketing the competition and exchanging expertise among referees, as well as easing the pressure faced by Iraqi referees during high-profile matches. Turki explained that marketing the professional league is not limited to attracting professional players and organizing promotional campaigns, but also involves bringing in international referees from various countries, which broadens the league's audience base in those referees' countries. He pointed out that referees have been brought in from Egypt, Kuwait, and Jordan. He added that the Iraqi federation seeks to strengthen cooperation with other sports federations through the exchange of refereeing teams, noting that a Jordanian refereeing team was brought in to officiate matches in the Iraqi league, while Iraqi referees were sent to manage matches in Jordan. Turki also highlighted the participation of four Iraqi referees in a women's tournament held in Amman, including two main referees and two assistants. He indicated that the goal of bringing in international referees is to manage some matches that witness large crowds and significant media pressure, emphasizing that this step does not indicate any weakness in the local refereeing level, as Iraqi referees possess the competence and ability to manage matches effectively. He explained that the selection of foreign referees is coordinated with the Iraqi Football Association after reviewing referees' lists from the concerned countries and assessing their classifications and levels, to choose the top names and ensure the recruitment of experienced and competent refereeing teams to manage league matches.
