Euroleague: Referees for 2021 Final Four announced

Eight of the top referees in Europe have been chosen to officiate the games at the 2021 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in Cologne, Germany. The list is a mix of veterans and top young referees, five of whom boast at least 14 seasons in the EuroLeague and a combined 19 Final Four appearances. Three of them are still in their 30s, including two who have been assigned to their first Final Four.

The chosen referees are Matej Boltauzer, Mehdi Difallah, Juan Carlos Garcia Gonzalez, Olegs Latisevs, Uros Nikolic, Sasa Pukl, Sreten Radovic and Gytis Vilius.

“The commitment and sacrifices that all of our officials have made, in what has been an exceptional season dealing with the current pandemic, has helped us get to the end of the season and another Final Four, and we are grateful to all of our officials for their dedication,” Richard Stokes, Euroleague Basketball’s Senior Director of Officiating, said.

“I want to congratulate this group for their selection for the Final Four in Cologne. A nomination to the Final Four is the pinnacle of achievement for our officials and reflects their season-long work as well as their performance through the playoffs, both individually and within their crews.”

Latisevs is the most experienced of the eight; he will be making his ninth Final Four appearance and refereed the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Championship Game at each of the last three Final Fours. Both Boltauzer and Pukl will whistle games at their respective fifth Final Fours. Garcia Gonzalez, Nikolic and Vilius will each officiate at the Final Four for the first time.