New Delhi, June 15 (IANS): The All India Football Federation (AIFF) will hold FIFA-Member Association (M.A.) courses for referees and assistant referees starting here on Wednesday.

The referees courses will be held from June 17 to 21 and the course for the assistant referees from June 23 to 27.

The courses will serve as a platform for top Indian referees of category 1 and top assistant referees of category 1 to learn from FIFA instructors and sharpen their refereeing skills.

Thirty-five members each will participate in both the FIFA courses, wherein they will undergo a physical fitness test also.

AIFF’s head of referees department Colonel Goutam Kar (retd) said the courses will be beneficial for Indian referees.

“The FIFA courses happen every year and they hone the skills of our top referees. It is imperative that referees develop and the FIFA courses help us to do just that,” Kar said.

“The courses are beneficial for the overall growth of refereeing in India,” he added.