MSA

We have been in South Africa for a few days and have had an opportunity to go for our first training session in the SA altitude, which is a little different than running in Winnipeg. It was good to get the legs back after the 17 hour flight from the US to South Africa.

Our experiences have already included about 5 blackouts in the last three days each lasting a few minutes. Not too sure why they happenned but they have not been for long and power has been restored without much of an issue.

The official welcome from the FIFA President took place Friday morning with a strong message of support for the referee team that has been working very hard for the last four years in preparation for the biggest single sport event in the world.

The weather here is very cool in the mornings and evenings but quite comfortable during the day. It is the winter season in South Africa but their winter is not quite like the one we have back home in Winnipeg. It is cool but not freezing so we can't complain. For some of the referees the weather is rather cold and you can see them wearing a number of layers of clothing to stay warm.

Our accommodations are very good in a country estate that is secured, private, quiet, comfortable and exclusively being used by the referees, instructors, referee committee members and all the support staff.

We have started our daily meetings and getting into a routine that will be our way of life for the next few weeks. The meetings are with the different support groups, such as medical, physical, psychological, technical and energy. There are a number of FIFA staff members and Local Organizing Committee (LOC) members that are here to support us and ensure that we have everything we need to be as prepared as possible.

Everyone realizes that this will be a long time away from home and as such every effort is being made to ensure that we feel comfortable and reduce the amount of stress that is associated with the event. We all feel very well prepared and want to do our best every day.