New KazCORE Programme Session Gets Underway in Astana

Preparations for the seminar began well before the session. Ahead of the event, KFF Refereeing Department Director Nuno Castro and IFAB Technical Director David Elleray, who has been invited to serve as the programme's lead instructor, attended a First League match between the youth teams of Astana and Kairat. The game was officiated by one of the KazCORE participants.

The session programme includes theoretical workshops led by David Elleray, as well as Artem Kuchin and Elvira Nurmustafina, who serve as mentors to the four referees taking part in the programme. Practical sessions on the pitch are also scheduled, focusing on fitness and decision-making in match situations.

One of the key elements of the seminar will be the analysis of matches officiated by the participants during the current season. Together with the instructors, the referees will review key incidents and identify areas for further professional development.

Special attention will also be given to VAR. VAR instructor Leonid Kaloshin will deliver a session on VAR protocols and technical procedures as part of the participants' preparation for future VAR certification.

Since the first session, held in January, the referees and their mentors have been analysing matches, preparing self-assessments and reports, and reviewing their performances in detail. David Elleray has also been monitoring this work and guiding the process in line with the latest UEFA recommendations.

The KazCORE programme is designed to prepare the next generation of Kazakhstan's leading referees for officiating at the highest level of domestic football. The programme will continue on an annual basis, with a new group of referees and mentors taking part each season.