The IWBF Executive Council has approved a list of 48 International Technical Officials (ITO's) for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
All four zones are represented in the selection, with Technical Officials coming from across the world representing 27 countries.
Due to the competition taking place over two arenas in two different areas of Tokyo, two International Technical Delegates have been appointed: IWBF’s Chair of the Competition Commission, Charlie Bethel (GBR), and IWBF Asia Oceania Secretary General, Don Perriman (AUS).
Supporting them will be the Tournament Technical Committee (TTC) which is formed of Craig Moorgas (RSA) and Petr Tucek (CZE) who were part of the TTC at the 2018 World Championships, as well as the inclusion of Stephen Bach (CAN), IWBF Americas President, and IWBF’s Chair of the Technical Commission, Cristian Roja (ITA).
Overseeing the level of refereeing are six referee supervisors: Jon Burford (USA), Matt Wells (AUS), Sergio Giordano (CAN), Tonia Gomez (ESP), Damir Kunosic (BIH) and Edwin Wallaart (NED).
There will be 26 referees from 21 countries making up the game crews, with 19 of the 26 referees also having taken part in the 2018 World Championships.
Hector Carmona (ESP), Erik Etzelmueller (GER), Adam Fronczak (POL), Mauricio Gamez (CRC), Sebastien Gauthier (CAN), Darrell Hargreaves (USA), Shu Fei Hsieh (TPE), Yekta Sansal Koc (TUR), Blaine Kraplijanov (AUS), Alexandre Lapointe (CAN), Gustavo Mathias (BRA), Arnold Moseya (RSA), Shunsuke Nikaido (JPN), Hiroki Ono (JPN), Tomas Pajer (CZE), Krunoslav Peic (CRO), Mathias Quintana (ARG), Linas Radykas (LTU), Carsten Rehling (GER), Helen Rosenberg (AUS), Geghard Tahmasian (IRI), Juan Urunuella (ESP), Celine Villard (FRA), Benjamin Wood (GBR), Poh Boon Yap (MAS), Maurizio Zamponi (ITA)
Sebastian Gauthier (CAN) will whistle at his sixth Paralympic Games having already officiated in 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016, whilst only one referee will be making his World debut, Geghard Tahmasian (IRI) who has established himself in the Asia Oceania Zone over the past few years whistling at the 2018 Asia Para Games and the 2019 Asia Oceania Zone Championships.
Again, a consistent core of Game Commissionershas been retained from the 2018 World Championships, with the addition of Kean Koo Ang (MAS) and Dirk Cossaer (BEL), who will join Juan Magallanes (MEX), Andrew Schoeman (RSA), Nathalie Van Meurs (NED), and Jan Timms (GBR).
Four extra ITO’s have been added to the nominations who will cover special tasks, Regina Costa (POR) and Bartosz Molik (POL) for classification advise, and Gabriel Zangenfeind and Stephanie Gagne for anti-doping and media, respectively.
IWBF Secretary General, Norbert Kucera, said:
“We are delighted to be able to announce the Technical Officials for next year's Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. To be selected to officiate the wheelchair basketball competition at a Paralympic Games is the highest honour, alongside the World Championships.
“The line-up contains a wealth of experienced international officials as well as young, up-and-coming officials who will be officiating for their first time at a Paralympic Games. As our pool of officials continues to grow, the selection process for every tournament becomes more difficult, but we are confident that this team will be a part of ensuring it is a successful championship.”
Download the full list of IWBF International Technical Officials for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games here.
