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Hours after Christmas and on the threshold of the new 2021, the world of basketball in Bulgaria, as well as in Europe and the world, mourns the loss of one of its legends. Today, suddenly, after a brief illness at the age of 89, Valentin Lazarov died. Tino, as he was known, is one of only four Bulgarian members of the FIBA Hall of Fame. He is one of the largest and most revered names in world basketball refereeing.
He was born on October 5, 1931 in Sofia. Player and captain of the Sofia Polytechnic team: 1949-1954. He became a judge in 1950, and from 1958 to 1983 he was a referee for the FIBA. Manages more than 440 international matches and finals of world, European, African and Asian continental championships, finals and final tournaments of the Korach Cup, Ronketti Cup, KESH, etc. He has participated in 10 Olympic Games.
Since 1980, he has been one of FIBA’s most respected and respected instructors, conducting more than 330 refereeing seminars in 116 countries. He was a FIBA Commissioner between 1983 and 2007. Since 1976 he has been a member of the FIBA Technical Commission, between 1992 and 2005 he was the official body that interpreted the rules of the game for the world headquarters. He is the author of 2 books on basketball refereeing and numerous articles on the subject. He also received an Oscar for basketball from FIBA in 2002, and in 2006 FIBA Africa awarded him the Abd-El-Azem Ashri Award.
In 1962 he was named Best FIBA Judge in Europe. Honorary FIBA referee in 1976. Winner of the most prestigious awards in Bulgarian basketball: Golden Whistle and Outstanding Merit Award in Bulgarian basketball. He is an honorary citizen of Sofia and since 2005 has been honorary chairman of the Basketball Refereeing Commission.
He has twice been awarded the BSFS “For Special Merits” honorary badge. Awarded the FIBA Cup for “Outstanding Contribution to Basketball and Basketball Umpiring” in 2002.
“The pain of defeat is great! He was an institution not only in Bulgarian basketball, but also in European and world basketball. Today his name is one of the emblems of Bulgarian basketball in the world,” said the president of BSEBoxball Georgi Glushkov.
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