Date:03/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/03/stories/2008050359952200.htm

Sport - Sports : General

Referee Somasundaram’s distinction

CHENNAI: Chennai’s young E. Somasundaram, a Class III referee, has earned the distinction of being selected by the AFC under the Referees Talent Acceleration Programme, under which he will from now on be periodically assessed and, subject to top fitness, will one day enter the FIFA panel.

Just as ‘Catching Them Young’ programme for players, this is AFC’s way of developing future referees by picking them in under-20 age-group.

Apart from Somasundaram, a Bangalore youth, Suresh, has also been selected.

Both these referees have been posted for the AFC under-14 football festival to be held in Teheran shortly. Somasundaram has done duty in the local league.

The AFC will have a panel of such referees from all over the continent and every six months they will be called over for evaluation of their physical fitness and knowledge of the laws of the game.

The idea is to lay the foundation for a strong panel of good referees for being recommended to the World panel in the long run.

CFRA’s office-bearers

S. Shanmugam has been elected President of the Chennai Football Referees’ Association (CFRA) for a two-year period at its Annual General Body Meeting held here on Thursday.

Thirty-one members attended the meeting.

Other office-bearers: Vice-Presidents: C.V. Shanthakumar, K. Kumaran; Secretary: K.B. Mohanavelu; Treasurer: V. Edwin Louis; Executive Committee: V. Stephen Charles, V. Subramanian, S. Elangovan, A. Edwin, R. Palmson Moses.

Vimala-Raghuraman duo wins

Vimala Singaram and S. Raghuram (North-South) and K. Chandramouli and S. Kailasam (East-West) emerged the winners of the Madras Gymkhana Club monthly open bridge tournament recently.

Other placings: North-South: 2. M. Vaduganathan & Lakshmi Chari; 3. V.C. Paul Bahl & Sandeep Dang; 4. T.K. Singaram & B.M. Tharakan.

East-West: 2. Rajesh Shah & Maj. C.N. Anand; 3. Cawas Mistry & A.G. Krishnan; 4. T.M. Suri & S. Rajaramanm.

State under-25 chess

The Jawahar Vidyalaya State under-25 FIDE-rated chess championship for men and women will be organised at the Jawahar Vidyalaya, Ashok Nagar, from May 24 to 29 by the Sports Promotion Foundation.

The tournament is open to players who were born on or after January 1, 1983. The last date for entries is May 15.

All entries should come through the District Associations. The entry fee is Rs. 400 for boys and Rs. 300 for girls.

Further particulars can be had from the Association office (ph: 25366464) or website: tamilchess.com.