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FROM SWEDEN WITH LOVE . . . Top Swedish handball instructor Bjorn Larsson (centre) stresses a point in the presence of the Mashonaland West Handball Association’s vice-chairperson Alfos Mhondiwa (left) and secretary-general Steven Chamangwa ahead of the three-day international referees course which starts today at Jameson High School in Kadoma

Takudzwa Chitsiga Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE handball referees who excel at the three-day Level One training workshop starting today in Kadoma will have an opportunity to officiate at the Partille Cup in Sweden next year. The workshop is being conducted by top Swedish instructor Bjorn Larsson at Jameson High School. Mashonaland West Handball Association secretary-general Steven Chamangwa said they are looking forward to the three-day workshop.

“I think with the expertise Larsson has, we are going to see local referees benefit a lot from the course. We realised that the level of officiating was not up to standard and this will help a lot in improving them.

“The referees need exposure and by partnering with these nations (like Sweden), who are so into handball, will give us a good platform as those who will be outstanding during the workshop will have an opportunity to officiate at the Partille Cup in Gothenburg, Sweden, next year,” said Chamangwa.

Coming at the invite of Mashonaland West Handball Association, Larsson, who arrived in the country on Tuesday afternoon, said he is expecting the local referees to have a better understanding of the game at the end of the three-day course.

“The workshop will look into several aspects of refereeing handball and I believe after the workshop a lot of referees would have learnt something.

“The three-day workshop will focus on new perspectives of refereeing, which will be in line with world standards as well as referees placements, movements and communication with colleagues during a match. The participating referees will also have a chance to be well vested on punishment rule, which is critical and we will focus on standard officiating, two-minute suspension and the red card,” said Larsson.

The event will be held concurrently with the Mashrhino Cup, which will run from tomorrow to Saturday. The Under-18 Mashrhino Cup will also be used as a platform to select the Mashonaland West Provincial team for next year’s National Youth Games which will be held in Chinhoyi.

Mashonaland West Handball Association vice-chairperson Alfos Mhondiwa said the players who will be selected will be given special training ahead of next season’s national events.

“We would love to see the referees and the players match-up after the workshop, so we decided to run both programmes at the same time. We are also happy that we have partnered with European countries such as Sweden and Germany, which gives us an opportunity for scholarships for the young players,” Mhondiwa added.

He also said 25 schools and clubs have already confirmed their participation at this week’s Mashrhino Cup which is open for the 18 years and under, 15 years and under and 12 years and under age-groups. “Most of these schools and clubs will be coming from the Mashonaland West Province but we are expecting a number of other teams to come from the Midlands Province,” Mhondiwa said.