FIFA: Joseph Blatter wants to do away with age limit for referees (set at 45 since 1994)

"The FIFA [Federation Internationale de Football Association] congress in Sao Paulo [BRA] in June voted down age restrictions and limits on terms of office [for FIFA leadership] by a large majority. Referees can also benefit from these significant freedoms," wrote Joseph Blatter, FIFA president, in an editorial entitled "No age limit for referees!" in FIFA Weekly on 08/08/2014.

The age limit for FIFA referees has been 45 since 1994 (Article 4, paragraph 7 of the Regulations governing the registration of referees and assistant referees on the FIFA international lists). "This regulation is in stark competition with competitive principles," said Blatter, 78, who had already come out against the age restriction for referees in 2012.

"Performance must take precedence over age in all cases. The modern referee is a sportsman -- a mentally and physically trained athlete. His fitness to practice his trade at the highest level is earned and legitimised by his performance in applying the Laws; practised skill and experience are indispensable qualities," wrote Blatter, who has been FIFA's…