“Obviosly you’ve never been on a serious tournament team before.”
No, you’re right. I toured with the Columbian international basketball team in 1976 in the south as an official, umpired the southeast conference finals for ASA in Florida in 1979, umpired the A level finals at Reno for ASA fastpitch softball in 1980, refereed part of the Alaskan Shootout in 1985 and was asked to sit in with the pro NBA referees in Sacramento during the summer leagues in 1991. I think that qualifies me to have a little knowledge with sports teams at the international level (IOC), NCAA, National Federation of High Schools, AAU, and many other organizations. I have been a member of ASA, USSSA, and NSA in softball, NCAA and National Federation in football, rated umpire and and referee, baseball, USVBA and IVBA in volleyball, And have called in 6 states and two countries besides the US before I retired when my health caught up with me in my late 50’s and I am now disabled twice.
Maybe you should understand what is at stake in international competitions as you need to remember, it is a sport. Not a political spotlight. It is unfortunate the money has captured most pro sports, but that worth doesn’t provide you with an opportunity to bit the hand that feeds or allow it to happen.
rwood
“refereed part of the Alaskan Shootout in 1985”
I was there. Those were fun times. I know nothing about any sport (except baseball), but being there with the crowd and experiencing the excitement always is fun.