Vyacheslav Koloskov, honorary president of the Russian Football Union, voiced criticism over inviting Milorad Mazhić to head the RFU refereeing department. He stressed that expertise from outside Russia should not automatically govern the country’s judiciary in football, noting past attempts to bring in foreign specialists from Spain, Italy, and Hungary. Koloskov warned that such a shift could undermine quality, arguing that control of refereeing quality hinges more on the development of a robust training system than on who leads the section.
Koloskov highlighted a potential transition period, estimating that Mazhić would need at least six months to settle into the role, a window during which the standard of refereeing might dip. He also questioned whether the person at the helm truly determines refereeing quality, suggesting the real driver is the ongoing effort to improve the referee training framework. The former RFU official asserted that there has never been a clear strategy for preparing referees through 2030, a gap he believed needed immediate attention.
Mazhić is scheduled to arrive in Moscow on June 29 and will begin his duties at the Russian Premier League referees’ meeting. The contract with the RFU covers two years, with a possible extension for an additional season, depending on performance and needs. His deputy will be Dalibor Džurdževich, Mazhić’s former assistant, who will oversee efforts to enhance the accuracy and reliability of the video assistant referee system.
Mazhić brings a long international résumé, having officiated matches at the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cups, the 2017 Confederations Cup, and the 2018 Champions League final, among other events. After retiring from on-field duties, he worked on football governance in Cyprus and shared his expertise as an instructor at FIFA. Since September 2022, Mazhić has served as a member of the RFU’s expert-judicial commission under the RFU president.
His appointment was also noted during a meeting of UEFA referees, where the decision to bring Mazhić into the RFU framework was discussed as part of ongoing efforts to align Russia’s refereeing standards with European practices. The conversation around leadership and training continues as the RFU seeks to balance international experience with a locally grounded development program to ensure consistent performance across domestic competitions and international obligations. Attribution: RFU statements and press coverage provide the basis for these updates.