The Antigua and Barbuda National Domino Association (ABNDA) is on a hunt for match officials as it prepares to host the 2025 World Domino Championships here from August 10th to the 18th.
President of the national association, Carol-Faye Bynoe, made a plea for interested persons to answer the call as the country must supply a majority of the referees for the upcoming tournament, adding that there is space for 20 additional individuals heading into a certification programme starting in March.
“Each host country would be responsible for having at least 20 referees and then they would take maybe, two from each of the other countries participating in the competition. This year we are going to be training them so these persons who actually get on to the training will be certified by WCDF so they will be given a certificate at the end of the training. Basically, what we would need from them is their contact information, especially their email and then they will get a link. It is not going to be a one-off thing; it is going to take several weeks of online training twice per week,” she said.
A total of 12 countries are set to compete in various forms of the mind-sport throughout the tournament to be held at the John E St. Luce Finance & Conference Center on Factory Road.
Bynoe highlighted that being a certified domino referee could open doors for those who decide to take the leap.
“That would now, allow them to be a referee at any other tournaments hosted by WCDF. The only type of domino matches or tournaments you might not be allowed to officiate is the Spanish [tournament] because their way of playing is totally different but then, you would have the basic concept of the game. Somebody asked me; suppose I don’t play domino and I just know how to match cards? Can I still do the course? Of course, because at the end of the course you will know and appreciate much more of the game,” she said.
Interested persons are asked to call 785-9958 for more information.
Teams from Anguilla, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, St. Kitts & Nevis, Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, USA, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Montserrat, will join hosts Antigua and Barbuda for the championships.
Over US$20,000 in cash prizes will be distributed at the end of the championships.
