This week, the European Refereeing Commission (ERC) successfully trained four new referee coaches, marking a significant stride in their continuous effort to foster top-tier coaching, officiating, and oversight in Beach Volleyball. This initiative, serving as a follow-up to an online refresher session held in May for all CEV Beach Volleyball Referee Coaches, highlights the ERC`s commitment to equipping referees with essential skills and knowledge as the sport`s popularity continues to surge in Europe, particularly among younger audiences.
ERC Secretary Avelino Azevedo with lecturers and the four newly confirmed CEV Beach Volleyball Referee Coaches.
The practical seminar, hosted in Espinho concurrently with the 2025 CEV Beach Volley Nations Cup Final, garnered significant backing from local organizers and the Portuguese Volleyball Federation. The training was led by Marc Berard, a highly esteemed FIVB Referee Coach from France and a prominent figure in Beach Volleyball referee development, working in coordination with Oana Sarb from Romania, who is both an ERC member and the Nations Cup Final Referee Coach. Their combined extensive knowledge and experience greatly enhanced the learning experience for all attendees.
Four distinguished former international Beach Volleyball referees—Antonella Vidale (Italy), Bas van der Meijden (Netherlands), Christian Nogara (Belgium), and Sergios Sergiou (Cyprus)—successfully completed the challenging course. Effective January 2026, these newly certified CEV Referee Coaches will be pivotal in identifying, assessing, and mentoring promising young referees, thereby significantly influencing the future trajectory of European Beach Volleyball officiating.
This initiative further underscores the ERC`s comprehensive strategy for referee development across all sport disciplines, building upon a similar program for Volleyball Referee Coaches held earlier this month in Serbia.
Jasper Thornfield 
Finley Blackwood