The IHF Men’s Youth World Championship in Russia is not only an opportunity for young players to gain experience at an international tournament but also for referees too.

As part of our ‘4-4-4’ series, IHF.info asks four referee couples from four continents four questions.

For Khalid Hussein and Fadhil Imran from Iraq, the 2015 IHF Men’s Youth World Championship is their first IHF nomination. Khalid, who has a PHD in Physical Education, and Fadhil, a physical education teacher and sports hall manager, have been working toward a tournament such as Russia 2015 for eight years.

IHF.info: When did you first meet and can you remember your first game together?

Khalid Hussein (KH): We first met in 2007 in a school for referees in Iraq. In South Baghdad – at the University of Baghdad – the Iraq Handball Federation had a school for referees. This was the first step for me and Fadhil.

After that, it has been step by step. We worked in the league of Iraq, took the second class, then after that first class. After three years the Iraq Handball Federation received a message from the Asian Handball Federation about continental referees. In Syria in 2010, the Asian Handball Federation had a course, and in this course, Fadhil and I took the badge.

After that we worked with the Asian Handball Federation in maybe six or seven championships. We were better in each championship and in the last championship, in Indonesia, Fadhil and I whistled the Semi-Final, and 3/4 game. After that we did five, six, seven games in every championship.

IHF.info: Can you remember your first IHF nomination and first match together?

KH:This [the 2015 Men’s Youth World Championship] is our first World Championship.

Fadhil Imran (FI): 10 months ago we took the badge in Isfahan in Iran.

KH: Before this GRTP [in Isfahan] we took part in four GRTP: one GRTP in the UAE in 2011, in 2012 in Japan, the third in Qatar in 2013, and 2014 in Isfahan, Iran – at this course we passed the exam and got the badge.

IHF.info: Tell us about handball and refereeing in Iraq.

KH: After the government changed in Iraq everything changed. Now the players in Iraq make good money and the league of Iraq is strong and developed. In the league of Iraq you find many professional players from Europe – Bosnia, Croatia, also Tunisia and Algeria – many professional players.

Any team can use two [foreign] players on the court. There are 11 teams in the league of Iraq. There are leagues for women, youth, junior – many leagues in Iraq and it is developing step by step.

There are maybe 30 referee couples in Iraq. After every championship we go to these referees with any changes to the rules and make courses, like the GRTP but small, because it is very important to give any updates.

IHF.info: What are your views on the rule experiments at Russia 2015?

FI: The blue card particularly is a good idea – the blue card makes it very clear for all the table, all the people.

KH: I think this is a good idea, a very good idea. And the other case, with the player injury rule where you must change for three attacks, is very good.