FIBA has selected 30 referees to officiate the Men’s and Women’s Olympic Basketball events at Paris 2024.
The referees were chosen from an initial list of 40 candidates who underwent an intense and extensive 13-week preparation program.
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The list is a blend of both experienced and new referees.
According to FIBA, the selection criteria were based on recent performance metrics, citing tactical awareness, the decision-making process, teamwork, collaboration, mental flexibility, and resilience as some of the key factors considered.
The list includes seven female referees, an increase from the five who officiated at the Tokyo 2020 tournaments.
The average age among the group is 40 years old, with the youngest referee aged 31 and the oldest being 52 years old.
The FIBA Head of Refereeing, Carl Jungebrand, assured that referees will abide by the rules that govern the sport while discharging their duties.
“We continually aim to introduce new elements that we believe can significantly enhance on-court refereeing, which is why FIBA established the Pre-Competition Program for referees as a new standard a year ago,” Jungebrand said.
“This group of officials has been diligently working within this program on the Road to Paris, and final preparations for the 2024 tournaments will take place at an in-person Pre-Competition Camp, to be held in Brussels just prior to tip-off.”
The Men’s and Women’s Olympic Basketball Tournaments will take place from July 27 to August 11, with the Group Phase of the respective competitions to be played in Lille.
By Dotun Omisakin
