In 2019, the European Handball Federation decided to revamp the EHF officiating structure. At its meeting in April 2019, the EHF Executive Committee approved the new officiating structure which aimed at further professionalising the EHF officiating system.

The new structure, implemented on 1 July 2019, comprises of various expert groups and specialists, who are responsible for different tasks on a professional and educational level such as mental referee coaching, physical preparation concepts and the implementation of SMT (Sport related Motivation Tests) in the EHF Young Referee Programme.

The new structure saw further development of the functions in the EHF Competitions Department in the administration of the officiating system. It includes the nomination of officials (referees and delegates) for club and national team matches, approving candidate courses and lists, implementing new technologies and administrative organisation of the officiating system.

For 11 years, the position of the referee programme coordinator was occupied by Vladimir Rancik, a former international referee and delegate with a plethora of experience in this field. At the pinnacle of his refereeing career Rancik, together with his referee partner Jan Beno, officiated the final of the Women’s EHF EURO 2002.

Since Rancik retired at the end of December 2020, the EHF has moved quickly to appoint George Bebetsos as the new referee programme coordinator. Born and raised in Greece, Bebetsos has rich experience in handball. For 20 years he has served an EHF Referee and Delegate, both the indoor and beach variants. Most recently, he was supervising the final of the Men’s EHF EURO 2020. In addition, Bebetsos has been a member of the EHF Beach Handball Commission for 12 years.

George Bebetsos during the EHF EURO Croatia 2018
© Sasa Pahic Szabo / kolektiff