Asimeto confident of smooth transition following amendment to handball rules

Leading Kenya Handball Federation (KHF) referee George Asimeto says the local league is ready for a smooth transition after new rules were introduced into the game by the International Handball Federation (IHF). 

Last week, Asimeto alongside IHF instructor Charles Omondi who also doubles as the federation's Fixtures' Secretary took more than 30 participants through a referee training course to align themselves with the new rules. 

KHF host three-day referees' training at Nyayo

The three-day event was a licencing course for beginners and an upgrading for those who had already achieved different levels of referee certification. 

"As we gear towards the start the new season, we had to train the referees on the ammended rules of handball which take effective immediately. 

Seeing as they are now well equipped, we hope they will be ambassadors of the same on all levels of the game be it schools, colleges and in the league as we had representatives from all these areas," Asimeto who is a member of the referee commission and also doubles as a handball lecturer offered. 

He continued, "The referee commission, headed by Omondi who is also the chief referee will continue to remind our members of the importance to align our sport with the IHF ammendments so that our teams can compete at the same level with the rest of the world." 

The referee who has been the hands-on person in the running of the KHF league says he is impressed with the turn up that had some young participants, pointing to growth in the department and by extension to the sport locally. 

Deaflympics: Coach Mwanthi banking on vast international experience to guide Kenya to glory

While Asimeto acknowledge that the whistle blowers are likely to face a few challenges before players and teams can catch on the changes, he is confident the transition will be smooth and with minimal hitches.

"We anticipate very few challenge in the implementation. However, we urge league teams that already have the documents on the changes being implemented to go through them and adjust accordingly. 

When the teams are upto to date with the changes, then the transition gets easier. It is also important for all stakeholders to receive the changes positively as they are geared towards making handball an even more attractive sport, with fast games with more goals," he added. 

The federation is set to begin the 2022 season in May. A team managers' and coaches meeting is set to be held before the league throw off where part of the change in rules will be discussed and explained further so all stakeholders can begin the new league on the same page. 

18 new referees were licensed while 16 more upgraded their licenses.