Alan Richardson: After 20 years I′m very satisfied, we must change the culture

This past week in Samokov, Bulgaria, is taking place the Can Do Basketball referees camp. A total of 71 referees are attending it and they are officiating the games from the U16 National championship. The director of the camp is Mr. Alan Richardson who chose Bulgaria for fourth year in a row. This is 20th year of Can Do Basketball and here is what Mr. Richardson had to say between some of the games:
Why did you decide to make the camp in Bulgaria for fourth time in a row?
The organization basically is done by Shay Shtriks and the staff of EUROHOLD Balkan League. Before I had it 12 years in my own country and then I did it 4 year in Holland. I was looking for good games for the camp and when they offered me the U16 National championship in Bulgaria I said excellent. I was very happy 4 years ago when we came here in Samokov. The second year we went to Varna, than we were back here again last year and this as well. The competition gets better and better every year.
What do you think about the organization this year?
"It′s excellent as always. This group of people working every year on the camp is doing a great job."
What′s the idea of the camp?
"It′s to improve national referees who have aspirations and dreams to become international because I′m working all the time on the international examination clynics. I have a very good eye for potential international referees for the future."
What do you think about the level of the tournament?
"I do think the players are getting better. I′ve noticed the big difference this year in the level of basketball. Ok, the fortunes of the teams have changed slightly but the big teams like Levski and Lukoil Academic always seam to have good rosters. Some other teams have improved a lot. The game between Basketbolno detstvo and Delfin for example was very exciting.
What do you think about the performance of the referees, are you satisfied?
"I′m satisfied. I was not back on Wednesday when there were a couple of disasters. I′m very concious as you know the clubs are preparing all the season for this championship and I don′t like it when a game is decided by some not good decision from the referees. I get very angry about this because I′m a coach myself and I understand the feelings of the coaches because they work so hard and so long and suddenly the whole season is destroyed with some bad calls. Anyway on Thursday they redeemed themselves because I was very very angry in the morning and killed them in the classroom and then they performed excellent. They′ve got the lesson.
What do you think about the idea of EUROHOLD Balkan League and the referees in it?
"I think the idea is great. We have the Adriatic league which has a lot of clubs from the Balkans but also there are other clubs, may be not with the same kind of budget but who like to experience what is an international league like from Bulgaria, from Serbia, from Macedonia and now from Romania and even Kosovo. It′s a good idea and it gives clubs with smaller budgets an opportunity to experience games against clubs from different countries. I don′t see so many games because I′m working on the Western side of Europe but I keep in touch with Mr. Shtriks. I know he has the same ideas like me about what we call it "clean officiating". Transparency and honesty and I owe for this. We must change the culture. The old thinking is for the prehistoric times and not for the modern ones."
Do you manage to follow the Bulgarian referees and what′s your opinion about their development?
"I think the new generation of Bulgarian referees is doing a great job. I see now in my camp 3-4 other new faces with good potential for the future. I think that the future of officiating can be very good if we go with a new philosophy and not with the old one."
It′s 20 years of the camp already. How do you feel about it and what do you wish yourself?
"I hope I can find somebody, one of my instructors or may be another person, to continue to work because I′m not going to be here for another 20 years, that′s for sure. I′m getting older and I′m getting tired, but the idea is a good one and it′s the best camp in Europe. I don′t know another camp like this. I would do it may be for five more years as I will be 70 in that time. Mr. Lazarov is 80 years old and he told me I can continue until 80. I′m not so sure about that but we′ll see.
After 20 years I′m very very satisfied. 149 international referees came to this camp and I′m very proud."