Emerson Mathurin has failed in its goal to attract more officials to the sport.

And former Director of Referees and current BFA Director, Aldwyn Savery, said this week that Bermuda Referees Association would now be forced to seek other methods to alleviate the Island's acute shortage of refs.

"The courses themselves were very successful. There were as many as 27 referees attending at various times, but the fact that we were unable to attract any new people is of grave concern,'' said Savery.

"The shortage is something that will have to be addressed immediately because the overall picture is really depressing.'' One feature of the course was the emphasis Mathurin placed on physical exercise, stressing that fitness was just as important as knowledge of the rules.

In addition to conducting the courses, Mathurin gave three referees' examinations covering the entry level, and class three and class two papers.

Mathurin also acted as an assessor and was able to make several rounds to evaluate referees during matches. As a result some referees could be upgraded in the near future.

"The courses were very successful in respect to their content, and the enthusiasm also helped to make it a success,'' added Savery. "One thing shown by bringing in somebody was that the local referees tend to pay more attention to the delivery of an instructor, and this is what happened in this case.'' MEN IN THE MIDDLE -- FIFA referees' instructor Emerson Mathurin (left) with BFA Director Aldwyn Savery.