On March 25-27, at “Radisson Blue Iveria” hotel was held a regional joint seminar of FIBA-Europe and Georgian Basketball Federation referees, by organizing of Georgian Basketball Federation and Georgian Referee Union. Today there was made an official statement about this at “Radisson” conference hall. At the press-conference, which was for discussing the seminar generally, was led by Besik Liparteliani (The President of Georgian Basketball Federation), Merab Ratishvili (The General Secretary of GBF), Levan Khomeriki (The President of Georgian Referee Union) and Richard Stokes (the former referee of FIBA, the director of FIBA Europe's Referee Department).

The seminars are regular and Azerbaijani referees and commissars also participate in it, among them is Azerbaijani referee of FIBA Alerbal Fatsanov.

The goal of the course is preparing of referees, coaches and commissars and teaching co-operating with each other.

Stokes also talked about tends and generally the situation in Georgian Basketball Federation and future plans. Last four years, Georgian Basketball Federation and generally basketball has a big progress and it has developed, either in Georgian or at European level. Stokes mentioned about the role of referees in basketball:” federation really organizes it well, we are here for help it in preparing referees, because without a good referee a match cannot be a good”. There was talk about finding a new staff and Stokes promised the federation with help in their preparation. He stated that this seminar is not only for working on being an international referee, also they will help the federation in preparing referees in Georgia.

Richard Stokes:” Our main goal of our visit here, is to help the federation in preparing referees, for reaching a better level. We will work not only with international level referees, also with interior tournaments”.

Besik Liparteliani:”The director of FIBA Europe’s Referee Department is here and he will work with referees for three days, he also will give seminars to the coaches of the teams. The fact that he will attend Super League central match on Wednesday is also important. There he will pay attention organizing details, referees and coaches, as a result he will make a report and then he will inform us about good and bad sides. We plan to make such type seminars more wide-spread and supposedly, in autumn will be held the next one”.

Irakli Berishvili (Georgian FIBA commissar):” Sport develops every day, as well as basketball. So it is very important referees to keep up with this process. This seminar is very important for career development of referees”.