Iran's Rafati to succeed Merk as Germany's FIFA referee

IRNA – Babak Rafati will succeed Germany's Markus Merk as a FIFA referee effective January 1, 2008, the homepage of the German Football Federation (DFB) announced Monday.

The 37-year-old Rafati who is an investment consultant at a bank in the north German city of Hanover, will be among a 10-men German FIFA referee contingent.

Rafati has been a Bundesliga referee since 2005.

A former world FIFA referee in 2004 and 2005, Merk was forced to retire from officiating international football matches after reaching the age of 45.

Merk will still be able to remain a Bundesliga referee until the age of 47.