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Oman’s Asaad Al Salmi earns IBSA accreditation as first international goalball referee

Omani referee Asaad bin Khalifa Al Salmi has been officially accredited as an international referee for blind goalball by the International Blind Sports Association (IBSA).

TAS News Service

info@thearabianstories.com

Tuesday, September 9, 2025

Muscat: Al Salmi secured the prestigious accreditation after successfully completing international referee studies hosted in Egypt under the supervision of Turkish expert Bulent Kenyon. The program brought together referees from across the globe and included intensive theoretical lessons, practical applications, and rigorous examinations before awarding the IBSA badge.

With this achievement, Al Salmi becomes the first internationally certified goalball referee from Oman and one of the few across the wider West Asia region, underscoring the growing recognition of Omani talent in international sports arenas.

Beyond his newly earned accreditation, Al Salmi has been an active contributor to the development of blind sports in Oman. He has served as part of the technical staff for the national goalball and blind football teams, in addition to officiating in multiple local and international tournaments.

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