Comparative Study between Physical Fitness Test Results of the Iraqi and Jordanian International Football Referees

Abstract

Mohammed Kazem Arab*, Wathiq Mohammed Abdullah and Ali Hussein Auraibi

The present study aims at identifying the difference between the levels of teams through holding a comparison between the physical fitness results of the Iraqi and the Jordanian international football referees. It also aims at figuring out their physical fitness strengths and weaknesses and the differences in the time they take for running the distances required in the tests. The most important conclusions are the presence of variation in tests` results between Iraqi and Jordanian international football referees as the reached numbers indicate, the existence of excellent training courses for Jordanian international football referees as shown by the numbers in the statistical table.

Besides, it was concluded that Iraqi international football referees were rather slow in running and the nonprovision by those in charge of supervising these tests of sufficient periods of rest to them between the tests as adopted by the FIFA had a negative effect on the tests` results. As for the most important recommendations of the research, they include unifying the physical fitness training courses of referees in the two countries to become a common training curriculum and to be under direct supervision by Referees` Development Office in the two countries.