TOKUSHIMA (FIBA Asia Championship) - When he retired from the Malaysian Army Services Regiment about 17 years ago, his official rank was that of a Lt. Col. In the basketball circles in this part of the world, he is simply known as "Colonel Lee." But in a manner of speaking, he walks around any major championship in Asia like a General would marshal his army, leaving behind instructions with a tone of authority. With an authority that is well-earned, well-deserved and well-respected!

There might not have been many days in the last 25 years when the man - who responds to the name Lee Kak Kuan, not that many recognize him like that - has not thought of some technical matter or the other about some upcoming tournament. "Well, how can you ask me to stop eating or breathing?" he asked when I posed him that question.

"Basketball is my life, and I believe in doing everything correctly," the 68-year-old said, in an interview on the sidelines of the Championship.

Excerpts

On the standards of officiating in FIBA Asia

Good point, straight away. I think we have made some remarkable progress in the last five years or so. But we still have a lot to achieve.

You have to understand one thing. The standard of officiating is directly proportional to the overall standards of the sport itself. The better the game, better the officials. Having said that, I must insist here that given the lack of adequate exposure our officials have done exceedingly well.

But with the development of the game, especially the manner some of the countries from the West Asian and Gulf subzones have improved, so have the officials. There are a lot more younger referees than there used to be. Which is a sure index for the progress.

On the steps taken to consolidate

We have increased the number of clinics for referees. That's one way of complementing the development of the game. We think regular interaction among the referees among themselves within our zone and with officials from outside is one sure way of improving our levels.

Championships like these are a boon for our referees. This is a great chance for those who have come here, to move to the next step.

We also tell those who have come here to go back to their countries and pass on the knowledge they have gained. Only then we can increase the quantity and quality of our referees.

His advice to young and upcoming officials

It's very easy to answer this. But very hard to practice.

Let me address it in different parts.

First of all, referees should not forget they are great ambassadors of the game. If a player or a team makes a mistake, they only lose a match. But if a referee errs in judgement, it reflects on everybody involved. Right from FIBA up to the Technical table for the match. So officials should not forget, one moment of lapse in concentration can lead to very poor presentation of the game itself.

The first thing referees should look at is how they present themselves and how they maintain themselves. It's very important.

A referee should be able to read the game with a sharp sense of mind and at the same time have a passionate feel of the game. You should enjoy yourself doing the job. A referee should also have a very strong sense of justice and fairness in him. Sound knowledge of the rules, but with a very practical approach in interpreting them is another very key factor.

How would you motivate a youngster to get into officiating?

You see, there's a great amount of respect and goodwill that you can gain, if you take up to this line of the sport. The rewards and returns might not always match what you expect. But then there's something called satisfaction that you derive from what you do. Having said that, I can assure you that rewards and returns will follow, but the first step should come from the referee's side. It all depends upon how much the referee is willing to persevere.

S Mageshwaran
FIBA Asia