Update #2 from Steve Jones (IKF Referee)

England Korfball League referees Steve Jones and Paul Jeanes are also both Elite level IKF referees, between them taking charge of a number of major international finals.

Sunday 26 October 2014 “Today our work has started, after being given our appointments for the first two days we get our transport details from the Local Organising Committee luckily for myself I’m in Hall 1 and that’s only a 10 minute walk from our hotel, despite what some people think most referee’s are not divas and we walk to the sports complex! The sports complex is also where our meals are served.

My two appointments for the day are Reserve referee for the Belgium v Catalonia match. A Reserve referee’s duties involve checking the incoming subs for jewellery and most importantly keeping the coaches, managers and team benches under control. Also during timeouts you must make sure the main referee and the assistant have some water!

After the Belgium v Catalonia match I watched England beat Russia from the stands then came the opening ceremony which normally consists of all country’s standing in a line behind local children. When we cleared the hall a local gymnastics club put on a good display of somersaults and gymnastics to no music as the sound system broke!

Now it was my time to work properly being lead referee for the Portugal v Czech Republic match, having Paul Jeanes as my assistant made the game easier as we’ve worked together many times, the game passed without much incident, with Portugal winning 23-15.

After that and the match forms are signed (yes we do that at IKF matches) we return to the hotel to wind down”