Seventy National Technical Officials, referees receive training in Jakarta

14/08/2018

Nearly 70 National Technical Officials (NTOs) and referees took part in training from 10-12 August ahead of the 2018 IWAS Wheelchair Fencing Asian Championships.

Nearly 70 National Technical Officials (NTOs) and referees took part in training from 10-12 August as part of the legacy of the 2018 International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports (IWAS) Wheelchair Fencing Asian Championships in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Fifty-four NTOs and 15 referees gathered at the Swissbell Kalibata Hotel to take part in the sessions run by John Moss and Peter Huggins.

Huggins is the Chairperson of IWAS Wheelchair Fencing’s Semi Committee whilst Moss leads the Referee Commission.

The seminars took place ahead of the Asian Championships, which get underway on 7 October. They are being run as part of the 2018 Asian Para Games.

Participants in the NTO training learnt about the important area of weapon checks before they were tested on what they had learnt via exams.

The referees discussed rules and regulations in epee, sabre and foil over the three days. They were also tested on their knowledge via IWAS Wheelchair Fencing Referee Licence B examinations.

As a result, 12 referees passed the courses and all NTOs received certificates of attendance.

Pal Szekeres, Chairperson of the IWAS Wheelchair Fencing Executive Committee, said: “Training sessions like this are so important for the future of wheelchair fencing in each country we go to. The result is that we have more NTOs and referees to help build the level of the sport after a major Championships has been and gone.

Huggins added “Everyone who attended was enthusiastic and very keen to learn, which was great to see. I would like to thank the Local Organising Committee of the Asian Para Games for their work in helping to organise the seminar. I am excited to see the NTOs and referees in action in October.”

The 2018 IWAS Wheelchair Fencing Asian Championships run from 7-11 October. They will be the third and final regional Championships of 2018 following the Americas Championships from 13-16 September in Saskatoon, Canada, and the European Championships in Terni, Italy, from 17-23 September.