On March 27 and 28, working meetings on the League officiating were held before the Playoffs start. The head of the VTB United League Referee Department Nikolaos Pitilkas, VTB League management, referees and commissioners selected to officiate playoffs games and head coaches of the League teams had participated.
The main emphasis was on explaining and establishing a common understanding by all participants of a foul criteria, the legal and illegal contact, the definition of an unsportsmanlike foul. The League paid special attention to the need for communication between referees, players and coaches.
Various episodes from VTB United League competitions as well as FIBA regulations were shown and analyzed in detail during the meetings.
Ilona Korstin, the VTB United Laegue General Manager:
– The League has a systematic approach to improving the quality of officiating in the League. We regularly organise seminars, analyse games during the season, organise working groups on this issue.
Progress is evident: if a year ago we didn’t have enough qualified Russian referees to work in the League games, this season we have new faces – young Russian referees who work at a high level, who are well-proven and will be involved in the Playoffs.
Nikolaos Pitilkas, the head of the VTB United League Referee Department:
– During the season the League is constantly working with the referees, analyzing their work and reviewing different episodes, holding online conferences once every 2 weeks. It was very important to organise such a meeting with the coaches of the teams before the decisive stage of the season, to hear their opinions, to give answers to their questions, so that there would be a unified understanding of the criteria.
