Simon Taufel, a five-time ICC Umpire of the Year (2004 – 2008), will collaborate with ICC Academy at Dubai Sports City to launch the ICC Academy Umpire Accreditation Programme, a curiculum which extends the ICC Academy’s education and training portfolio.
In bolstering the Academy’s education offerings, the Umpire Accreditation Programme is aimed at assisting and inspiring the next generation of cricket umpires in the UAE, as well as around the globe, and will appeal to community-based umpires to those aspiring to reach international levels.
“I am delighted to enter into this partnership with the ICC Academy and continue my journey in providing accreditation and the tools needed for future umpires to confidently and effectively preside over the game.” Australian Taufel said in a statement.
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“Split second law management, and the pressures on how umpires oversee the game is growing exponentially. Therefore, it is vital for future umpires, at all levels – community, corporate, representative and international – have the tools to allow them to confidently follow their decision making process, and stand by these decisions while maintaining a calm, rational, unemotional approach to all parties involved; including Captains, players, and team officials.”
Spanning a 13-year career as an ICC Umpire from 1999 through to 2012, Taufel has officiated over 74 Tests – presiding over his first at aged 29, 174 ODIs, and 34 T20Is. Taufel then took charge as ICC Umpire Performance & Training Manager from 2012 to 2016, where he created and implemented cricket umpiring’s first competency-based accreditation programme. Simon Taufel is also a member of the MCC Laws of Cricket sub-committee since 2009.
Mubashshir Usmani, General Secretary of Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), the governing body of the game in the UAE, commented; “As the governing body of the sport in the UAE and a leading ICC Associate Member, the role of the umpire and their ability to make impartial decisions, protect and administer the laws of our game, across all levels and formats, is of the utmost importance. The ECB welcomes this initiative led by the ICC Academy in partnership with Simon Taufel, and we look forward to seeing the first group of participants successfully accredited.”
The ICC Academy Umpiring Accreditation Programme will be delivered online and on-site led by Simon Taufel. ICC Academy aims to launch the first course in coming months alongside the hosting of global cricket events at the ICC Academy, a press release said.