Record number of Kiwi referees recognised internationally

New Zealand’s skill and experience in basketball refereeing at the international level is at an all-time high.

Ten New Zealand referees and three commissioners have been granted licences by FIBA, including three referees joining the list for the first time.

Never before has Aotearoa boasted so many referees qualified at the highest levels, to referee at international FIBA-recognised events, which coincidentally is the maximum number of licenses available to New Zealand.

Getting to this level requires years of training and on-court experience through the national pathway from the national age-group tournaments to the national leagues.

Tayla Ammunson, Sasha Nicholson and Toni Smith-Hunwick have become the first New Zealand female referees granted a FIBA licence since 1988. They have been given white licences, which entitle them to referee international games at a regional level.

Three referees who held white licences in the 2019-2021 licensing period, Sherhon Martin, Sam Pan and Callum Welch, have been granted black licences this time, which entitle them to referee international games at all levels.

Our four senior FIBA referees, Matt Bathurst, Marty Davison, Ryan Jones and Dallas Pickering, have had their black licences renewed.

Jilly Harris, Melony O’Connor and Alistair Tod have all had their commissioner licences renewed by FIBA. The role of a commissioner at an international game is to sit at the score table and supervise the running of the game.

Under FIBA’s criteria for granting international referee licences to each national federation, New Zealand is entitled to up to nine licences and was granted an additional licence for this cycle under FIBA’s programme for promoting female candidates.

Basketball New Zealand Chief Executive Iain Potter says he’s delighted that the efforts in referee development over recent years has got to the point where the quota is filled.

“For example, our new FIBA referees have worked their way up the pathway through the national age-group tournaments and have benefited from the resources BBNZ has invested in referee training at those tournaments.

“We expect the numbers to grow even further, with more competition for licence spots in future FIBA licensing cycles, as other initiatives we have introduced, such as the roll-out of the new referee and trainer pathways and courses, and the requirement for schools entering premiership tournaments to provide a referee, bring further benefits.”

The referees were nominated to FIBA by BBNZ at the end of last year. Since then, the candidates have had a period of online study followed by a written test. They also had to partake in a fitness test, where following its completion FIBA awarded the licences based on the test results.

The candidates for commissioner also undertook a period of online study and a written test before being selected by FIBA.

For those interesting in beginning their own refereeing journey, a good place to start is the new online course for learner referees. Information on this is available at nz.basketball/officials.