Referees in St. Kitts and Nevis recently participated in an intensive pre-season seminar aimed at enhancing their understanding and application of the Laws of the Game ahead of the upcoming football season. The event, hosted by the St. Kitts and Nevis Football Association (SKNFA) Referee Department, took place at the National Bank Group of Companies Technical Centre in St. Peters and brought together match officials from both St. Kitts and Nevis for in-person training sessions.

Head of the SKNFA Referee Department, Graeme Browne, underscored the importance of unity and consistency among the federation’s referees, especially given the geographical separation between the two islands.

“The objective of this seminar is to bring everybody on one page. We want to bring all the referees in the Federation because our country is unique. It's two islands, some in Nevis and some in St. Kitts,” Browne explained. “Most times, we have the sessions on Zoom, but prior to the start of the football season, we wanted to bring everybody into one room, one classroom setting, to ensure that everyone has the same understanding and interpretation of the law changes so that when we go on the field, we are able to administer and carry out our duties effectively and consistently.”

Browne also highlighted efforts to strengthen the relationship between referees and football clubs across the Federation. He acknowledged that inconsistencies in officiating during the previous season led to tensions between match officials and clubs, an issue that the SKNFA is actively addressing.

“Last season, we heard from and listened to the clubs about the inconsistency in the application of the laws of the game, which was a major challenge. That created some not-so-nice relationships between the clubs and officials,” Browne admitted. “We met with the SKNFA Council, and they have asked us to try and improve so we can have a more harmonized relationship on and off the field.”

The pre-season seminar was identified as a key initiative to address these concerns, ensuring that referees enter the new season with a clear, unified approach to officiating.

Browne noted that the majority of instructors guiding the sessions were locally based, reinforcing the development of homegrown officiating talent within the Federation.

The seminar, which concluded successfully, set the stage for a better-managed and more cohesive football season in St. Kitts and Nevis, with referees better prepared to uphold the integrity of the game and foster stronger collaboration with clubs and players alike.