Coincidence led him to enter the field of arbitration in 2003

Al-Mahri: My family's joy at being in the 2022 World Cup exceeded my happiness

The Emirati team participating in the World Cup from (right) Al Mahri, Mohammed Abdullah and Al Hammadi.

Photography: Patrick Castillo

The assistant international referee in football, Hassan Al-Mahri, who will be present in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, will be among the Emirati staff, along with the international referee, Mohammed Abdullah, and the assistant international referee, Mohammed Al-Hammadi, that “coincidence alone led him to enter the field of arbitration in 2003, When he participated in a sports course at the Leaders Preparation Center, and graduated in the various refereeing degrees until he reached the world, by being chosen to participate in the management of the World Cup matches for the second time in a row, after the first time during the last World Cup in Russia 2018,” stressing that He prepared psychologically for this event, and that the coordination between them as an Emirati arbitration crew is at the highest levels, in order to appear and represent the honorable in this major global event. Al-Mahri praised the great role played by his family in providing the appropriate atmosphere for him, which helped him excel in the field of arbitration, pointing out Until his family's joy at the news of his choice to appear in the 2022 World Cup, he was more than happy with thisThe Good News.

Hassan Al-Mahri (44 years old) told «Emirates Today»: "For us, as an Emirati refereeing team, we are fully prepared, physically, morally and psychologically, to appear in the next World Cup."

It is noteworthy that the Emirati arbitration team left for Qatar yesterday, to participate in a preparation camp for the referees participating in leading the World Cup matches, as the camp extends for 10 days.

On the reason for entering the field of arbitration, Al-Mahri explained: “Although I did not play football continuously, and I used to play in festivals in the right wing center, but I was participating in various administrative courses in sports in general and not only football, especially those that are held in the preparation center Leaders, as a specialist in physical education and a holder of a BA in physical education, and I remember that on one occasion I entered a football arbitration course among the courses I was participating in in terms of gaining experience in this field, and I had no intention of entering the field of arbitration, but rather by chance. Only she led me to this field, and then I was contacted by the Referees Committee in the Football Association, and I was keen to try the field, and I found it an interesting field, and things began to develop and ambition increases, as I ascended from a new referee to the third degree, then the second and first and obtaining the international badge Then the ambition continued to reach the Asian elite in arbitration and the elite elite to reach the world.”

Al-Mahri considered that the field of arbitration, although interesting, has many difficulties, challenges and sacrifices.

He stressed that he was influenced by many referees who preceded him in this field and became a role model for him, such as the former World Cup referee Ali Bujasim and the former international referee Ali Hamad, noting that the Emirati arbitration has achieved many achievements, through the presence of each of the former referees: Ali Bujasim, Issa Darwish and Saleh. Marzouki in arbitration in previous sessions of the World Cup finals.

Al-Mahri pointed out that their preparations as an Emirati arbitration team for the World Cup have been going on for a long time, and started since the last World Cup in Russia 2018, through the 2019 Asian Cup, which was held in the UAE, and then taking the various arbitration tests.

He added, "For us, as an Emirati refereeing staff, we do not think about the number of matches that we will manage in the World Cup, as much as we think about providing an honorable refereeing performance in any match that we are entrusted with managing."

He stressed that his participation in managing the 2018 World Cup and the 2021 AFC Champions League final, as well as participating twice in the AFC Asian Cup finals in Australia 2015, and in the UAE 2019, burdened him and gave him sufficient arbitration experience.

Al-Mahri revealed that he and all his family members received the news of his selection to arbitrate in the World Cup for the second time in a row with great joy, pointing out that his family’s joy exceeded his joy with this good news, noting that his family made sacrifices and bore a great burden to create the atmosphere for him, in order to succeed. In his mission he appears in the best light.

The most prominent arbitration posts by Al-Mahri

■ Participation in the management of the 2018 World Cup matches in Russia.

■ Participation in the management of the final match of the 2021 AFC Champions League between Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia and Pohang Stelzer of South Korea.

■ Participation in the management of the 2019 Asian Cup quarter-final match in the UAE between Japan and Vietnam.

■ Participation in the AFC Asian Cup in Australia 2015.

■ Participation in the Asian Cup finals in the UAE 2019.

■ Participation in the management of the final match in the President's Cup 4 times.

■ Participation in the leadership of the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile 2015.

■ Participation in the management of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in South Korea 2017.

■ Participation in the FIFA Club World Cup in Qatar 2020.

■ Participate in the leadership of the 2017 AFC Cup Final.

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