V. Gomolko judged the abundance of participants in the noted European cup winners' tournament

2024-06-16 18:00 © lff.lt

Vitalij Gomolko, a beach soccer referee from Lithuania, returned from Portugal after receiving an invitation to officiate at a prestigious European cup winners tournament.

The International Beach Soccer Organization (BSWW) organized a true sports celebration in Nazare from June 7 to 16, including the strongest club teams on the continent - 36 players in the main men's tournament, 20 players in the Challenge Cup, and 24 players in the Women's Cup.

V. Gomolko was appointed as the referee for a total of 15 matches. In the crucial men's tournament, "Braga" triumphed 5-3 against "Lenergy Pisa," and in the final match, the Vilnius native acted as the stand-in referee.

The referee was pleased that his work quality received excellent feedback and hopes to maintain a high level of officiating that allows him to work at the 2025 World Cup.

- How do you evaluate this year's tournament organization and how does it illustrate the growth of beach soccer?

- Of course, there is always room for improvement, but overall, there were 80 teams participating from all over Europe. Matches took place on four courts simultaneously for several days, but the organizers managed the numbers well. We stayed in a good hotel, just a 10-minute walk from the stadium, which was very convenient. We were lucky with the weather, as it didn't rain throughout the tournament, attracting more spectators.

- Share your impressions on the referee's requirements and specifics in this tournament?

- Refereeing requirements are always the highest: we need to officiate without errors to satisfy everyone. During the tournament, there were two inspectors - one from Italy and the other from Portugal - who monitored our matches. Every evening we had brief discussions reviewing the key moments of the day and discussing what went well, what went wrong, and how we can improve to avoid errors in crucial moments. I was evaluated very well; I officiated all matches without errors, which is crucial in confirming my high qualification status in beach soccer championships.

- What appointments do you expect in future BSWW events?

- This year will have several important tournaments. In September, the main European national team tournament of the EBSL Superfinal will take place in Italy, in the city of Alghero. Later, in early October, in Andalusia, Spain, there will be a qualification tournament for the World Cup, which will be held in the Seychelles in May 2025. Of course, I really want and hope to receive appointments for these competitions.

Photo by BSWW.