Lubo Kotleba: We are listening to the basketball people… Costas Rigas: We are in the same way in the feeling of the game...
Marta Seweryn: For the third time in
Poland, again lot of campers, many new
faces, some repeats. Camp is
progressing. Has already it’s level.
What is your feeling about it,
Lubo?
Lubo Kotleba: I think camp
already established it’s reputation all
around the world and what was very
incredible for me, that when I was
looking for the old pictures, I found
couple of guys, who from not known faces
suddenly two of them go to Olympic in
Beijing. So it means this camp gives a
really good base for those who want to
improve. This year I saw so many
countries coming, and when I spoke with
Kuba before, he said he had even more
requests to come but there is no more
place so, it means camp is established
and it is suddenly counting as the most
reputed camp for referees in Europe.
Costas, tell us your impressions from
this edition?
Costas Rigas: The only I can add
to what Lubo said, is not only
countries, but continents. I found many
people coming from far East, Australia…
and this is success of the camp. Of
course I saw progress in quality from
last year when I met these guys, also
new ones are very potential for the
future.
What would you say about level of
games, was it appropriate for the
camp?
C.R. What I saw, because I was
only at late games: six and eight
o’clock in the afternoon, it is a very
good level and for camp like this it is
number one in Europe. Wherever I went it
was not the same quality as it was here.
You had here men’s U20. It is very rare
to find, when young referees are going
to learn basketball! So level of
basketball was excellent to test
referees, to make them train and also to
give some advices, and I think in three
days they improve a lot.
Have you seen any potential referee
here?
L.K. I didn’t see all of them,
but from those I have seen of course
very many of them can be in the future
good national referees. I am not saying
only national license. They can be
international referees also, but first
they can be very strong national
referees. Of course to be strong
international referee you need a lot,
but from those I have seen, I don’t
remember the names good. There was this
tall, thin guy from Poland and another
one I saw, definitely the Czech guy,
very potential from what I have seen.
Campers told me they enjoy the camp a
lot, it’s idea, FIBA and Euroleague
referees. They want to know, if there
will be more camps like this besides
Kuba’s camp?
C.R. It is quite hard to organize
a camp, but anyway we have one camp
every year (red. in Euroleague)
organized in Benetton. We are training
some of our referees on the list, but
also new comers from proposal from FIBA
EUROPE to incorporate in our list. So we
have already one camp working in summer,
but not similar to these working in
Europe, like this in Poland or Alan’s
Richardson camp. But it is a good idea
to have camp like this.
What do you think about the idea of
devices which we use here to
communication between referee and
instructor?
L.K. Ok. I didn’t experience it
before and I didn’t experienced now. It
works here so I can not answer you this
question how it works and what it would
be for. Costas do you know how is
works?
C.R. Yes, because I used to be
familiar with this in Alan’s camp four
years ago. So I know they have internal
communication between the supervisor or
instructor and referee. Ok. Referees
were campers and the national referees
sometimes pay attention to the
supervisor who is talking to the
earphone instead of looking for the
game, so I am not totally convinced that
this is a good idea, but for sure camps
are proper place to check it.
What I see here and it is great, how
good two strongest basketball bodies
cooperate with each other, FIBA and
Euroleague presenting the same
philosophy?
C.R. I must say that, ok, Lubo is
on the top of pyramid because he has big
experience, is going everywhere in the
world, even in small countries, so is
super experienced and also is studying
the rules. Lubo is rule maker, so the
only I could say from all time as active
referees until today, we are in the same
way, the same philosophy and I think we
are a good couple in the meaning of the
philosophy of the spirit of the game, of
the feeling of the game – basketball.
This is I think the most important
because only with the feeling and the
spirit you can be superior referee
otherwise medium or other referees.. we
have plenty of them.
L.K. You know. The group of the
lecturers always should be composed of,
how to say, theoretician and
practitians, because practical work with
the referees, and I am always saying, I
have never officiate the game with three
men mechanic, so there for me it is
little awkward to talk about three
person officiating because it is not my
blood. The combination of these people
here is excellent, is good always. I
strongly support it for the future that
you have also one active referee with
reputation, which brings good image and
that person can always delivered good
message because I am not saying we are
bad, but we are slowly to be forgotten.
At the camp, campers they must see
somebody who for them is the present
hero. So whoever will be coming next
time must be the star of Euroleague or
World basketball. Of course I have one
advantage as a lecturer. I have the
access to very many materials, because
this is my profession, that is what I am
paid for, whereas Costas, let’s say, is
also professional, but he doesn’t have
that deep possibility to go and listen
to many lectures. I can listen to very
many other lecturers, and I can learn
also from the others, what they do, how
they teach, this is my advantage, and
with the rules, friendly speaking, when
I was a referee, I was not very good in
the rules, and even when I came to FIBA,
hehe, how to say, I was able not to pass
the test almost always, but because
Costas said and I am saying this is my
profession. By doing your profession 19
years whether you want or not, you learn
something, so by time I develop to be a
person who really understand the rules,
and still in combination with feeling
for the game I think I can deliver good
lessons also on rules despite of the
fact that this I am obsessed with.
Costas, how in your opinion new rules
approved by FIBA for 2010 will affect
the game?
C.R. The rules are in a right
way. Ok. I am a member, observer in the
FIBA World Technical Commission. I am
very happy, I like to appreciate FIBA
selected me last year. I was very lucky
to attend one of the meeting of FIBA
Commission, where these rules were
proposed to the Central Board of FIBA.
All of them and mainly laws which will
be affective as of 2010 are in my
opinion revolution for the future of
basketball in FIBA. There are the same
principle of course according to change
the rules and it was about time to make
some changes. Changes of this year are
not major, but from 2010 I think the
game probably will have big change on
the strategy of coaches, on the player
adjustment on the new rules, new part of
the basketball. I think it will be very
good and very profitable for our sport.
What is different from other sport like
football which is the most popular now
all over the world, because they have
the same rules everywhere, with the same
dimensions, the same rules offside,
fouls, yellow, red cards, whatever, so
then have exactly the same rules
everywhere and this is the difference.
Because we have different rules in the
different parts of the world. We are
concentrating, mainly we are focused on
out organization which is FIBA and I
think now FIBA is making the rules more
attractive for the basketball. I am sure
it is in the right way.
L.K. I have to add that Costas
became a member of FIBA Technical
Commission, it is not a problem to be a
member – at the end you have your name
on the visit card. I am saying that you
are a member, but is good Costas is
active member and whenever we need a
consultation or advice to the members to
the technical of the technical
commission asking for the opinion,
Costas always gives his opinion whatever
the opinion is. I don’t like somebody
saying always “yes” and agree with
everything, the progress is made only in
conflict of various opinions. That’s
first and second, Costas is correct that
football has one set of the game rules.
On the other hand we are not favor in
the position that we have NBA – is very
strong player in basketball. NBA must be
respected. NBA makes enormous good for
basketball promoting basketball
worldwide. It doesn’t cost us anything
and promotion is very expensive issue.
Friendly speaking they are the best
promotion machine in the world (for
basketball), on the other hand we wanted
them to lead in our structure. I am not
saying it was a written agreement that
we can play the same rules as they have.
Of course we had to set priorities, what
is the price to get them in the body, we
have find out. Is good player to
participate, is good that they are part
of FIBA. We allowed them to play with
their own rules as they play, as they
played since NBA exist. I am positive
that we set that time if they have to
switch to FIBA rules immediately they
will not accept, so this was the
compromise. Now by years passing by we
are trying to learn from each other, NBA
from FIBA, FIBA from NBA, what could be
the best side of the rule which fits to
them and fits to us. Rules are getting
closer and closer but the problem is not
only NBA. In USA you have six different
sets of rules!! So USA people are
saying: FIBA you should do something. We
are telling them: Ok, but first play
with one set of the rules in USA and
then probably we will have only one. To
finish with, we are ready to try to have
one set of the rules worldwide. As it is
in football, but it is difficult. Not
only basketball, hockey is also having
different rules that International
Hockey Federation, which is also a
compromise, so this is price we pay, but
we think that the price is not that big,
that we can not progress worldwide with
the rules and with having NBA with us.
C.R. I can tell you something. I
was in NBA in the meeting of referees.
Believe me, referees from NBA loves some
of our rules. Believe me, and they would
like to have some of our rules. We want
to have some of their rules. If finally
the two organizations find the
compromise always to come together and
to have worldwide the same rules it will
be perfect. This is I think a wish of
all basketball fans.
Lubo, what was the purpose of
accepting new rules? Is it not too much
mess from technical point of view,
changing every gym, lines, circle, new
devices to measure time. Do you think it
will work good?
L.K. Ok. Look. This issue of
moving three point line is in the air
maybe ten years! Every time we are
saying this is impossible, because you
have to change so many courts. At the
end we said: shall we continue this
discussion for another twenty years… Or
we will say: ok, let’s finish and let’s
do something. You can not only talk and
talk and talk. After you have the same
argument: we can not change it because
it costs. So you have to decide, and it
is not only in basketball life, if in
Germany or worldwide they decide that
cars must be different because they are
producing a lot of combustion, whether
the car makers like it or not, they have
to change cars and it also costs a lot.
So we decided, yes we will do it in
2010. We are giving everybody two years
to mentally, financially prepared for
that. But at the end, ok, there will be
costs, that is for sure. If you have so
many open-air courts you simply need to
refresh them from time to time, because
you can not keep the court not
maintained. So they will certainly plan
to have good maintenance before the
season 2010/2011. Courts which are taped
it is easy an those whish are good
quality painted courts, so they know
they will not put that much money in
maintenance 2009/2010 and they will sell
this costs to refurbish completely the
floor for 2010/2011. Anyhow they have to
invest. We have the story with the
smaller ball for women, ok. I think it
was right move and women basketball was
improved because of this. But ok. The
decision was taken and people were
saying: now, you know, who will but so
many small balls.. So far you had 100
balls for boys and girls, so you but 60
boys and 40 girls. This is not a cost
you throw out of the window, you will
profit from that. I think it will not be
that dramatic costs for owners of the
gyms. Once they have to make the
maintenance they will do it in proper
time.
Costas, how do you think players and
coaches will react for the new
rules?
C.R. It is only a matter of one
month, maybe less. They are already
prepared, because FIBA has sended press
release to everyone. Now with the new
technology everyone knows how the rules
will be from this September or from
2010. Now they are prepared even for
2010. Anyway it is a matter of a very
short time to adjust the rules. There is
no problem, that is happening every time
when some rules are changed. There is no
problem. This is the way FIBA is working
many years and it is excellent for
basketball, because we are progressing
according to the progress of the
basketball. This is something that we
must aware FIBA to our organization.
Once you had circle under the basket
in Euroleague. Was it not working back
then?
C.R. No, no. Absolutely no. It
was four years ago when we discussed
many times with coaches about the rule.
It works for NBA a lot of years ago and
we found out that is very good for the
basketball, for offensive players, for
talented players, and to discourage
defensive player not to attempt for
cheap foul under the basket. There is
not a good position to play defense.
Anyway all we agree, it is good for the
basket and that was why we put it that
time and it worked perfect. I would say
it was only matter of one month for
referees, coaches and players to adapt
the rule and everything was fine. Of
course after the sign agreement between
FIBA and ULEB who had to play according
the conditions of FIBA rules. In FIBA
there was not this rule back then, so we
had to change it according to FIBA
rules. This is what is happening now, we
are very happy. I must tell you that is
was a great help from general secretary
of FIBA, Mr. Baumann and Lubo to help in
this aspect and to have this rule again
from 2010.
You didn’t change the rule about
unsportsmanlike foul, you just changed
the interpretation for this making it
more strict. Does it mean you want to
make a game less violent?
L.K. You are correct that this is
actually not a change. It is clarifying
one special situation on the court where
referees were having not unified
criteria and Costas said it already: We
are listening to the basketball people
what they think should help the game. We
were under the pressure saying that we
should do something where the player can
clearly score, is fouled and it is not
very clear for the referees what to do
in the situation. We practically add one
sentence, one statement which originally
comes with a little advance from NBA.
This is again some king of proof that we
are trying to get rules together and
that we will give a clean to the basket,
if there any type of contact that should
be called as an unsportsmanlike foul. As
Costas said: Any rule whish is coming
new look dramatically difficult to
officiate. This statement which we added
will be probably most difficult to call
consistently worldwide. I would say that
it will discourage this players who are
simply trying to stop the fast break and
this is not good, because if you stop
the fast break you have two free throws
plus the possession if it is
unsportsmanlike. We are loosing the
time. Free throws, unless is the end of
the game and close score, are boring
part of the game. We do hope with this
change we will have less unsportsmanlike
fouls. Players will not foul to stop the
player, because they know it is 2 plus
possession, so instead of that they will
simply let the player go and to score.
Intention of the rule is to clean up the
game and to have even less fouls
called!
If rules are going more close to NBA
rules, does it mean soon we will see for
example traveling like there?
L.K. I do not agree, because the
way they move the ball in NBA is exactly
the same that we do, but they read the
rulebook different. They allow to start
a dribble when they are moving for
additional step, what we do not allow.
We read rules differently. On the other
hand when they are standing still and
they start dribble here, really they are
very strict on how to move pivot foot.
So therefore we are certain different in
reading the rule book and traveling rule
is one of the main concern of FIBA. We
have said that this year we will try to
have a meeting of some kind of a rule
committee within the Technical
Committee. We will probably do it in
Beijing, because we will have also
representatives from NBA who are
responsible for officiating. We will try
to find out how they should read the
rule book and how we should read the
rule book. If necessary even to change
the wording. I don’t think we will call
more travel as we call it now, because
there is practically no change in
wording of traveling rule. I don’t think
there will be different calling travel,
at least in this season.
Costas, does it also mean that
Euroleague is trying to became more and
more like NBA making more show then
basketball?
C.R. I can not say this, because
our basketball is completely different
from NBA. I would say that our players
are very passionate with the basketball
and the wins and looses. So if you see
team losing a gem, even when you see
them crying, sometimes they are
exaggerated by referees or final result.
And this never happen or very rare
happen to NBA, because that is not
feeling the win or loose. This is
something that can not change in our
competitions, also for our fans. They
are going to see their teams to win
which is very, very good, because they
are becoming very fanatic about the win.
So if they are loosing they try to find
some victims, some responsible. And
always is of course our referees. I can
say that we are taking something from
NBA which can be adopted in our
competitions very good, like ex. sits in
the court. Of course we have some other
habits of NBA like cheerleaders now in
Europe but is doesn’t mean that we are
going completely to NBA. They have
hamburgers, popcorns, it doesn’t fit for
European fans and it never will be
similar in our competition.
L.K. Costas is saying you should
not see basketball like NBA in Europe.
You have to see it in context of
culture. It is not only sport, it is
generally the living style, culture.
Everything in United States is quite
different to Europe and that have very
strong influence on basketball as well.
In NBA as it is American style of life,
the society is star orientated, in
Europe we are teams, different nations,
Polish are Polish, Slovaks are Slovaks,
and Greeks are Greeks. Still certain
type of playing the team, unity, our
basketball is still team orientated.
Therefore we are in last years having a
success of playing USA teams. Of course
Costas says, if there is something we
can learn and adapt from NBA why
shouldn’t we do so. They are enormous
experienced, specially in promotion, in
business orientated issues of
basketball, far ahead of us. They have
tradition whereas we still have good
school. We are producing in worldwide
enormous number of good players, you can
see how much of them is recently put to
NBA. That is very good and that is
nothing wrong that we do something that
they do, and we feel it is good for us.
It is fine.
C.R. We are coming after NBA on
the professionalism, because they were
professional before us, and now we are
becoming professionals. We are learning.
In the last meeting general board of
Euroleague decided is on the way that
NBA is showing us. It makes the
capacity. The less capacity of gyms to
be ten thousand, is on the NBA
traditional rules, and this is showing
our way to the future but this is
something where it helps
professionalism. We are very new in
professionalism, and we are learning.
Don’t forget only exist 8 years. Eight
years is always learning and I suppose
now we are putting some NBA regulations
because we like it, as it happen in the
rules the same happen with conditions.
Nothing wrong if we have something from
NBA. I absolutely agree and confirm what
Lubo said about different culture. This
is the problem of our basketball, we
have 54 countries in Europe. In
Euroleague and ULEB we are 24 countries
playing and 15 countries in Euroleague.
We have different language, different
mentality, different habits. This is
something that differentiate us from
NBA, but not necessary is bad, ok? Is
very good. This is competition between
countries. This is good for the profit
of basketball.
Officiated over
2,000 regular
NBA season and
75 play-off
games in his
career.
Now Supervisor
of Ref ...
Costas Rigas
started as a
basketball
player with 1st
Greek division
club. Later he
became a coach
an ...
Referee since
1973
International
referee since
1987
4 Olympic Games
('92 Barcelona,
'96 Atlant ...
Referee since
1989
International
referee since
1999
From 2000 in
ULEB.
Refereeing
EUROLEAGUE and ...
International
referee since
2003.
From 2003 in
ULEB.
Refereeing
EUROLEAGUE and
ULEB CUP
games ...
Born 1970
(Krakow)
Referee since
1986, 1989
(National)
FIBA license
2000
2001 IV
Franc ...
RONNIE NUNN
Director of
Referees
Development
National
Basketball
Association
Ronnie Nunn,
the N ...
Mr. Kotleba`s
basketball
career was the
following:
1960 - 1968 - a
player,
1968 - 1970 - a
...
Mr. Pukl was
born in 1970,
Maribor.
He started to
officiate while
still playing
basketball, at
...
Born: 1964,
Helsinki
Referee since
1978
(National)
National League
1984
FIBA licence
198 ...
National
Referee since
1974 up to
1998
FIBA Referee
since 1978
22 FIBA Cup
Finals and
World/Eu ...
Player untill
junior age in
basketball club
Inter
Bratislava.
Like his
father, who was
FIBA refere ...
Former
basketball
player, youth
and juniors
until age 20.
Dariusz started
to referee at
age 17. ...
ULEB and FIBA
commissioner
As a
commissioner
and observer
work last 3
Final Fours in
Euroleague:
...
Lubo Kotleba: We are listening to the basketball people… Costas Rigas: We are in the same way in the feeling of the game...;)
;)
;)
;)
Openning
Ceremony
Games T ...
How they
started… -
instructors for
referee.pl
Every year we
are coming to
camp to get
some kno ...