Under the guidance of referee co-ordinator Miguel Betancor, FIBA Europe has been working together with the University of Las Palmas Gran Canaria on an online educational platform for its referees since 2003.

This online educational tool has also caught the eye of FIFA, who have just signed an agreement with the University to provide the same technology in working with their own referees.

		Miguel Betancor with FIFA Director of Referees Jose Maria García Aranda

The referee web site has revolutionised the way FIBA Europe works with not only referees, but instructors and observers.

The platform is primarily a resource, containing training videos which allow referees to analyse different situations and articles on all aspects of officiating.

It is also a key communication tool.

Referees receive the details of each game they are nominated to officiate online and can communicate directly with each other via the forum. In addition, instructors and commissioners can post evaluation reports immediately after each game, giving referees constant feedback to their performances throughout the season.

The technology was used extensively during thre recently held EuroBasket in Serbia & Montenegro to assess referee performance, along with the digital scoresheet, a new project currently being developed by FIBA Europe's referee department.

“We have been working very hard with the the University of Las Palmas Gran Canaria to develop technologies that can help us to educate our referees,” said Betancor

“The fact that an organization as large and wide reaching as FIFA has also decided to use this technology is testament to the work that has been done. We hope that their experience will be as successful as FIBA Europe's.”