JOHANNESBURG -- The International Cricket Council (ICC) last Thursday announced the appointment of recently retired Emirates Elite Panel umpire Rudi Koertzen as regional umpire performance manager (RUPM) for the Africa region. (Pictured: Zimbabwe cricket team)
South African-born Koertzen will work closely with the home board umpire managers of the Full Member boards of Cricket South Africa and Zimbabwe Cricket as well as the ICC Africa regional office to support the emerging umpires in Africa, ICC said from United Arab Emirates.
He will manage, support and coach the Elite Panel and International Panel umpires within the regions as well as those umpires visiting his region to officiate.
It is a great honour to be able to give back to international cricket and to be able to share my experience and knowledge with umpires at all levels within the Africa region.
I look forward to contributing to the improvement of officiating in the region and working alongside all those involved in this. I am delighted to be given this opportunity of continuing to be part of this wonderful game and the wonderful profession of umpiring, Koertzen said in a statement following his appointment
Commenting on the appointment of Koertzen , the ICCs Umpires and Referees manager Vince van der Bijl said: Rudi is deeply respected as an international umpire of 18 years, as a man of integrity and character and for his extremely strong work ethic.
He has umpired through the technology changes of officiating and is the ideal candidate to use all that experience and knowledge to helping the up and coming umpires move forward into the international arena. This is a very exciting appointment for the umpiring community of Africa and we look forward to working with Rudi in his new role.
Post published in: Cricket