Euroleague Official Visits Israel to Scout Referees Amidst League Return Efforts
Translated & summarized from Mako by baba
Kostas Rigas, a representative of the Euroleague Referees Association, visited Israel to scout local referees for the league. He attended a domestic game as part of his evaluation for the league's recruitment program. Rigas commented that while he feels safe, the decision to return Euroleague games to Israel is political, and he also addressed recent match-fixing scandals involving Greek referees.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Euroleague official Kostas Rigas visited Israel to scout local referees for the league.
- Rigas is responsible for the Euroleague's referee recruitment program due to league expansion.
- He stated that bringing Euroleague games back to Israel is a political decision.
- Rigas expressed personal comfort and safety during his visit to Israel.
- He condemned recent match-fixing scandals involving Greek referees.
Kostas Rigas, representing the Euroleague Referees Association, visited Israel to evaluate local referees for potential inclusion in the European basketball league. Rigas attended a game between Maccabi Rishon LeZion and Maccabi Tel Aviv as part of his assessment. He stated that he is responsible for the Euroleague's recruitment program and travels across Europe to find new referees due to the league's expansion.
Rigas expressed that while he personally feels comfortable and safe in Israel, the decision to bring Euroleague games back to the country is a political one. He acknowledged the significant efforts being made in Israel to host these games again, noting that "they must take into account all aspects of what is happening in this region to decide, it is not an easy decision." He is looking for Israeli referees with potential for the Euroleague and will add them if they show promise.
Regarding recent scandals involving Greek referees and match-fixing allegations, Rigas described the situation as "ugly" and expressed hope that it would not spread across Europe. He noted that something "not right" was also happening with a former Euroleague referee manager, adding, "you understand that something smells here." Rigas emphasized that basketball, particularly the Euroleague, is the number one sport in Europe in his opinion and must continue.
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