Domestic Competitions ● Jan 17, 2023
FAS prepares match commissioners for 2023 season with new policies
This year’s FAS Match Commissioner Seminar introduced new policies to the current Match Commissioner Licensing System.
SINGAPORE, 17 JANUARY 2023 – The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) conducted the FAS Match Commissioner (MC) Seminar over the weekend in preparation for the upcoming season.
Attended by 15 participants, all of whom are Singapore Premier League (SPL) MCs, the course aims to equip them with the necessary skills to organize all FAS-sanctioned matches in a professional manner. The MC’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to, inspection of the stadium, safety and security, verification of players’ identity and any other match activity that does not occur on the field of play. The sixth iteration of the seminar was conducted at Hotel Village Bugis, a shift from the usual venue of previous editions at Jalan Besar Stadium.
In his opening address on Saturday, FAS Director of Competitions, Aloysius Vetha, emphasised the importance of the MC’s role in ensuring that all matches across all levels are organized properly. “Since the implementation of the FAS Match Commissioner Licensing System in 2017, we have been continuously striving to raise the capabilities of our match commissioners through vigorous testing mechanisms, beneficial seminar and engagement sessions and more.
“Now that Covid-19 regulations have fully relaxed, all matches in our domestic football season is back in full force, with the Singapore Premier League (SPL) 2023 season kicking off in February, so we hope to see all of our Match Commissioners continue to deliver all matches with the highest quality in a smooth and efficient manner”, he added.
Apart from revising content material over the years, such as the usage of the online portal, Football Management Platform (FMP), theory lessons, group scenarios exercises and more, new policies were introduced to the Match Commissioner Licensing System this year with the goal of developing their skillsets to their highest standards. One key change was the implementation of the demotion and promotion structure. For those in the MC1 tier, there will be two rounds of theory and practical assessments that are required to be undertaken. All MC1s must pass the first round with a minimum passing grade of 50 per cent to progress to the second round; candidates who do not meet the passing mark will be demoted to MC2. Only the top 80 per cent of MC1s in the second round will retain their role; the bottom 20 per cent with the lowest scores will also be demoted to MC2.
On the other end, the top 10 per cent of the cohort will be eligible to take on special appointments such as international friendlies and matches. Other changes that were introduced during the seminar includes revised allowance rates, stricter assessment criteria and an extended period of two years for license renewals.
For Kamaludeen Rasid, who possesses over 10 years of experience as a FAS Match Commissioner under his belt, the changes, particularly the introduction of demotions and promotions, is a good motivation tool for all match commissioners to keep their skillset relevant. “There’s no longer a free and easy ticket to simply pass through all the levels with this new change. As such, this will help us in testing and pushing ourselves to the best of our capabilities.” he told FAS.
Iswadi Swandi shares the same sentiment, adding that he looks forward to undertaking more special appointments this year. One of the youngest MCs this year at 45 years old, the recently concluded SPL 2022 season was his first appointment as a MC. “The changes (in regard to the demotion and promotion rules) definitely puts a little bit of pressure on us, but it helps keep us on our toes to work harder and maintain the level of competency and consistency expected of a MC1. Personally, I would like to be a part of the top 10 per cent of this cohort so that I can take on these special appointments whilst gaining more experience this upcoming SPL 2023 season,” he shared.
The next day, the participants sat for theory and practical examinations to round off the seminar. The FAS would like to thank all participants for taking their time to attend the seminar and participants will be notified of the outcome of the examinations in due course.
