Sofia hosts ERC Referee Coaches Seminar – One Vision for the Future of Refereeing

The European Refereeing Commission (ERC) took an important step towards strengthening referee development across Europe by organising a two-day seminar for its Referee Coaches in Sofia, alongside the CEV Enel EuroVolley 2026 Men.

The seminar, led by ERC President Arturo Di Giacomo, brought together 27 of the 30 active CEV Referee Coaches, an exceptional level of participation that underlined the importance attached to the development of referees and to the future of European refereeing. The objective was not simply to exchange experiences, but to establish a common philosophy and a more unified approach to referee coaching throughout Europe.

From referee evaluation to referee development
Over two intensive days, the Referee Coaches attended a series of presentations and discussions covering different aspects of modern referee development. Particular attention was given to the role of the coach in helping referees analyse situations, develop their own thinking and progressively become more independent in their decision-making. One of the key messages of the seminar was that effective coaching should not create dependence on the coach. “The coach develops thinking. The objective is to build independence, not dependence,” explained Arturo Di Giacomo.

This principle reflects the ERC’s evolving vision of referee coaching. The role of the coach is not simply to identify what was right or wrong, or to provide an immediate solution. Instead, the coach should encourage the referee to understand why a decision was made, recognise the available information and learn how to deal independently with similar situations in the future.

One European vision
The Sofia seminar also provided an opportunity for Referee Coaches from different countries and backgrounds to share their experiences and discuss common challenges. For the ERC, establishing greater consistency in coaching is essential. Referees should be supported by coaches who share the same fundamental principles, language and objectives, while still allowing room for individual development. “We have excellent Referee Coaches across Europe. Our responsibility is to make sure that we work with the same philosophy and that we give our referees a consistent message,” said Di Giacomo.

The discussions also reinforced the ERC's belief that coaching should be based on education, communication, prevention and continuous development, rather than simply focusing on errors.

Preparing referees for the highest level
The seminar comes at an important moment for European Volleyball, with the CEV continuing to invest in the development of officials and young refereeing talent. The ultimate objective is to prepare referees not only to manage individual situations, but to understand the game at the highest level and to make decisions with confidence, consistency, and responsibility.
“Our target is clear: we want to help our referees reach the highest level. To achieve this, we must first ensure that our coaches have a common vision of how to develop them.  One vision. One philosophy. One objective: developing referees who can think, decide and perform independently at the highest level,” added Di Giacomo.

The exceptional attendance in Sofia - 27 Referee Coaches out of 30 active members -demonstrated the commitment of the European refereeing community to this objective.