The VTB United League organized and ran a seminar for referees today in Moscow. Attendees included VTB United League and Youth League referees, League general director Ilona Korstin, Euroleague officiating director Richard Stokes and review commission chair Algimantas Pavilonis, while new League head of officiating Nikolaos Pitsilkas led the seminar.
Recent changes to FIBA rules were discussed at the seminar, with special attention paid to traveling calls and the criteria for calling an unsportsmanlike foul. Participants also broke down modern aspects of the game from how referees should move around on the court and manage games to the interaction between referees and communication with coaches. Detailed explanations and specifics were provided for each situation.
League head of officiating Nikolaos Pitsilkas:
– We met today and got to know each other. Refereeing seminars are often held over the course of several days, so our primary goal today was to connect with everyone.
In addition, we discussed key changes to the rules related to unsportsmanlike conduct, as well as different interpretations of infractions on the court and beyond. In the new season, we’re going to build a strong team of referees and commissioners. There’s a lot of work for everyone. It’s a big responsibility: The VTB United League is one of the strongest competitions in Europe. But I’m an optimist and confident we’ll move forward and see the fruits of our labor at the end of the season. It’s very important for everyone involved in a basketball game to work together. Everyone wants to win and receive a trophy, but in order to do so you have to follow the rules. Tomorrow, we’ll discuss that in our meeting with VTB United League head coaches.
In addition, the review commission will have a new approach this season with a special focus on training referees.
VTB United League general director Ilona Korstin:
– The VTB United League is a serious international organization. We don’t ever want to be complacent or stop improving. This season, Nikolaos Pitsilkas has been named head of officiating. He’s an experienced professional with a spotless reputation. Our primary goal is to raise the level of officiating and create a training system for talented young referees. We discussed general trends in European refereeing today, as well as new changes to the FIBA rules. The dialogue was energetic and constructive. It’s the first step toward a productive partnership involving everyone in the game, from referees and commissioners to coaches and players.
