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SUNRISE, Florida -- The 2012 CONCACAF Elite Referees Course opened on Wednesday with a welcome from CONCACAF President, Jeffrey Webb. It was the start of what promises to be an extremely active and educational four days for the confederation's leading match officials convening in south Florida.

In his address, Webb emphasized the course's significance and how it will ultimately impact the quality of officiating in domestic, CONCACAF and FIFA competitions.

Course attendees (25 referees and 25 assistant referees) from 13 different countries will experience intensive lecture, video and field work.

FIFA instructors and former referees Peter Prendergast of Jamaica, Rodolfo Sibrian of El Salvador and Esse Baharmast of the United States are conducting the sessions with FIFA's head of refereeing Massimo Busacca and the world body's senior manager of referee development Fernando Tresaco.

CONCACAF's top referees assemble for the course on an annual basis.Last year, they gathered in Dallas, Texas, in advance of the Gold Cup.