Deaf football fans would hardly recognize their favorite game if they were transported to England when football was just emerging. Over time, both the core elements and the external aspects of football have evolved. While footage from matches of the last century might seem amusing, the games from the century before that would likely be shocking. Referees of that era wore practical uniforms that were very different from the modern uniforms used by referees in deaf football today.
Peter Jan Rijpkema (Netherlands) approved the current design of the referee uniform for the deaf. He, together with Nino Lantink (Netherlands), developed and implemented the concept of refereeing for the deaf. It was Peter Jan Rijpkema who modified the referee uniform to ensure it was eye-catching.
In the near future, we will organize the first refereeing seminars for the deaf. Notably, Peter Jan Rijpkema also introduced the emblem of the card on the chest of the referee uniform. Since 2024, Nino has been the chairman of the DIFA referee commission, and during this time, he has proven to be an extremely active individual, making a significant contribution to the popularization of the game in Kazakhstan.
