Michael Hester
{{Short description|NZ association football referee}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox football official
| name = Mike Hester
| image =
| fullname = Michael Hester
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1972|05|02|df=y}}
| birth_place = Sydney, NSW, Australia
| death_date =
| death_place =
| otheroccupation = Naval officer
| years1 = 2004–2011
| years2 = 2004–2005
| years3 = 2008–2011
| league1 = NZFC
| league2 = National Premier Leagues NSW
| league3 = A-League
| role1 = Referee
| role2 = Referee
| role3 = Referee
| internationalyears1 = 2007–2011
| confederation1 = FIFA listed
| internationalrole1 = Referee
}}
Michael Hester (born 2 May 1972), is a former New Zealand association football referee in the A-League. Holder of a FIFA international licence, he has participated at the highest level, officiating at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Biography
Hester has been a NZFC certified referee since 2004 and gained his FIFA international qualification in January 2007.[http://www.nzfc.co.nz/index.php?id=139 Michael Hester] He refereed some games in the 2008 Summer Olympics,
{{cite web
|url=https://www.fifa.com/mensolympic/matches/round=250016/match=300051792/report.html
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080813020813/http://www.fifa.com/mensolympic/matches/round=250016/match=300051792/report.html
|url-status=dead
|archive-date=13 August 2008
|title=Match report – USA vs Netherlands
|publisher=FIFA
|date=10 August 2008
{{cite web
|url=http://worldreferee.com/site/copy.php?linkID=1218&linkType=referee&contextType=bio
|title=Biography – Michal Hester
|publisher=World Referee
|date=25 October 2008
}} and has also refereed matches in the Oceania qualification group for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.[http://worldreferee.com/site/copy.php?linkID=1218&linkType=referee&contextType=bio WorldReferee.com – referee – Michael Hester – bio]
He was also appointed as a referee for the 2009 FIFA Under 17 World Cup in Nigeria.[https://web.archive.org/web/20091027015403/http://www.fifa.com/u17worldcup/matches/round=253807/match=300102243/report.html Match report, Mexico Switzerland]
Hester was included on the short list to officiate at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa along with fellow New Zealand referee Peter O'Leary,
{{cite web
|url=http://www.oceaniafootball.com/ofcnewsdetails/refs-oleary-and-hester-on-fifa-world-cup-short-list
|title=Refs O'Leary and Hester on FIFA World Cup short list
|publisher=Oceania Football Confederation
|date=25 October 2008
|url-status=dead
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081025232456/http://www.oceaniafootball.com/ofcnewsdetails/refs-oleary-and-hester-on-fifa-world-cup-short-list
|archivedate=25 October 2008
}} both of whom were confirmed in the final 30 officials to take charge at the finals.{{cite web|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/world-cup/3300324/NZ-referees-selected-for-football-World-Cup|title=NZ referees selected for football World Cup|
publisher=NZPA|date=6 February 2010}} On 12 June 2010 he refereed the FIFA World Cup game between Greece and South Korea.{{cite web|url=http://sportal.co.nz/football-news-display/nz-ref-makes-history-92986|title=NZ ref makes history|
publisher=Sportal NZ|date=12 June 2010}} Hester blew the final whistle on his refereeing career at the end of the 2011 New Zealand winter season to focus on his career in the Royal New Zealand Navy.
=Personal life=
He has worked, besides his football career, as a naval officer in Auckland, and played both Rugby union{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/confederationscup/referees/referee=257338/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090530010256/http://www.fifa.com/confederationscup/referees/referee=257338/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=30 May 2009|title=Michael Hester: Referee |publisher=FIFA|date=12 June 2010}} and football before turning to officiating.[https://web.archive.org/web/20100705001040/http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/fifafacts/mencompwc/51/97/46/statisticalkitfwc2010.referees.pdf 2010 FIFA World Cup, South Africa, Referees Statistical Kit 3]
=Honours=
- 2009: NZDF Sports Award: Outstanding Sports Person of the Year[http://www.navy.mil.nz/know-your-navy/official-documents/navy-today/nt08webformat/may08/nzdf-sports-awards.htm RNZN – NZDF Sports Awards]
- 2017: Official referee of The Football Ramble
References
{{Reflist}}
{{2009 FIFA Confederations Cup referees}}
{{Referees 2010 World Cup}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hester, Michael}}
Category:Australian soccer referees
Category:New Zealand association football referees
Category:2010 FIFA World Cup referees
Category:Sportspeople from Sydney