Exercises

On the ball

Photos courtesy of Bangkok Post

Police officers are used to laying down the law, but footballers will be the targets for one cop when he swaps his handcuffs and gun for a whistle. Read the story from the Bangkok Post to find out about this policeman�s off-duty role.

Worapoj Chusaeng is the first police officer in Thailand to pass FIFA�s test for football referees. The 38-year-old officer says that there is an element of risk involved in both occupations.

�You may risk your life capturing thieves, but if you do a poor job on the pitch, you risk losing your credibility as a referee forever,� Worapoj said.

COOL UNDER PRESSURE

On January 2, Worapoj was chosen to be an official assistant referee.

Worapoj�s interest in football was first sparked by watching his younger brother play in a match eight years ago. He became fascinated with the way the referee kept his cool under pressure from supporters of both teams. In 2000, he decided to sign up for a referees course with the Football Association of Thailand.

Worapoj said that refereeing a football game is a huge challenge. It also requires a great deal of patience, since referees are often on the receiving end of abuse from players, managers and supporters.

HIGH HOPES

Over the past eight years, Worapoj has refereed for matches in various local tournaments such as the Thailand League.

�My training as a policeman helps me to be mentally strong,� he said. �It�s very useful when I go out on the pitch to handle a match.�

Worapoj doesn�t plan to quit his police job, but with his newly acquired FIFA qualification, he hopes to be given the opportunity to referee in some high-profile games.

�I�m grateful that my boss recognises my second job,� he said. �I�m looking forward to refereeing in an overseas tournament some time.�

Exercise

Read the story. Then, answer the following true or false questions.

1. According to Worapoj, you may risk your life if you do a poor job on the pitch.

2. Being a football referee requires a great deal of patience.

3. Worapoj decided to sign up for a referees course at the Football Association of Thailand eight years ago.

4. Worapoj thought of quitting his job to become a full-time referee.

	swap (v): to replace something with something else pitch (n): an area of ground specially prepared and marked for playing a game such as football credibility (n): the quality that somebody has that makes people believe or trust them fascinated (adj): very interested abuse (n): rude and offensive remarks, usually made when somebody is very angry mentally (adv): connected with or happening in the mind IDIOM lay down the law: to tell somebody what they should or should not do, in a forceful way