Belgian Frank De Bleeckere named new president of Serbian FA's refereeing commission

BELGRADE - Pursuant to a decision by the Football Association of Serbia (FSS) Executive Board, FSS Secretary General Branko Radujko has signed a contract with renowned former Belgian international football referee Frank De Bleeckere, who will be presiding over the FSS Refereeing Commission in the next two years, the FSS announced on its official website on Tuesday.

"The focus of De Bleeckere's work will be on strengthening the integrity of the referee organisation, advancement of professional and personal development of referees and continuous education, as well as on raising the quality of refereeing in Serbia in line with the highest FIFA and UEFA standards. As early as next week, De Bleeckere will hold meetings with referees and other officials, coaches and club captains, as well as with media representatives. On that occasion, he will outline his vision of work, the key priorities and an activity plan, as well as the latest guidelines and changes in refereeing that come from the levels of FIFA and UEFA," the FSS said in a statement.

It also said securing Bleeckere's services was another confirmation of its commitment to continuing reforms in Serbian football.

"The goal is to establish an even more professional, more objective and more transparent refereeing system that will help to protect the integrity of competitions and contribute to development of young players and the competitiveness of Serbian clubs and Serbian football internationally," the FSS said, adding that De Bleeckere's longtime aide Christof Dierick, an international VAR expert, would be assisting him in analyses of refereeing, as well as in providing education for referees and evaluations of their work, with special emphasis on application of VAR technology.