2013 Class of FIBA Hall of Fame: profile of Costas Rigas (GRE)

MIES (FIBA Hall of Fame) - On Monday 27 May, FIBA announced the 2013 Class of Inductees of the FIBA Hall of Fame. Over the next three weeks (weekdays from 28 May to 12 June), we will profile all 12 of the inductees. Today we look at Greek's Costas Rigas.

Costas Rigas has made plenty of sacrifices during his long career in order to help basketball become the great sport that it is today.

A long-time referee from Athens who worked in many of the world’s biggest games, Rigas has also served as the Euroleague Basketball director of referees since 2000.

He is to enter the FIBA Hall of Fame.

"My thanks goes to my family, and especially my wife, who looked after and educated our children in the best way during my long absences from home due to refereeing duties," Rigas said, when told of the honor.

Rigas, who turned 69 in March, has a pedigree as a referee that is second to none.

He officiated the Men's Olympic Final in 1984 and the Women's Gold Medal Game in  1992.

In the first, Michael Jordan led the United States past Spain, 96-65, just months after his announcing he was foregoing his senior season at the University of North Carolina and turning professional.

Eight years later and Rigas worked as a referee in the Women's Final of the Barcelona Games, which saw the Commonwealth of Independent States beat China 76-66.

In between, in 1986, Rigas refereed the Final of the FIBA World Championship, another game won by the United States.

A fellow member of the 2013 FIBA Hall of Fame class, David Robinson, helped fire the Americans to their first world title in 32 years with an 87-85 triumph over the Soviet Union.

Among his many duties in club competitions, Rigas worked as a referee in four Euroleague Finals and four Korac Cup Finals.

A current member of the FIBA Technical Commission, Rigas says making it into the FIBA Hall of Fame is something he could only have dreamed of when he started his career in basketball 50 years ago.

"This recognition by FIBA of the years I worked with fairness and honesty to contribute to the development of basketball worldwide is the brightest day of my career," he said.

FIBA