Ademir Zurapović

Ademir Zurapović
Zurapović in 2025
Personal information
Born (1972-05-20) May 20, 1972
NationalityBosnian

Ademir Zurapović (Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 20 May 1972) is a Bosnian international basketball referee and a FIBA-licensed official since 1995, who is widely considered as one of the most experienced European referees.[1][2][3][4][5]

He has officiated at the highest levels of the game, including the Olympic Games, FIBA World Cup, EuroBasket, and major European club competitions.[6][7][8][9]

Career

Zurapović began his refereeing career in the late 1980s and became a FIBA referee in 1995.[10][11]

He officiated in the EuroLeague (2005–2007) and the EuroCup (until 2009).[12] He later became a regular referee in the Basketball Champions League (BCL), including appointments at the BCL Final Four and other BCL final events.[13]

Zurapović officiated at the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup and the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.[7] During the 2023 World Cup he refereed matches including Japan vs Finland in Okinawa.[14] He refereed the FIBA Intercontinental Cup final in Buenos Aires (2021).[15] He also officiated at Basketball Champions League Final Four events.

Zurapović has been a regular official at European Championships, including assignments at EuroBasket 2022 and selection among elite referees for EuroBasket 2025.[16][17]

Zurapović was selected as a referee for the basketball tournament at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.[18] He was also named among the referees for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.[19] In September 2025, he officiated the gold medal game of EuroBasket 2025 between Germany and Turkey in Tallinn.

References

  1. ^ "Ademir Zurapovic". BGBasket. BGBasket. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  2. ^ "Veliko priznanje: Ademir Zurapović na listi FIBA-inih sudija za Olimpijske igre u Parizu". Anadolu Agency (in Bosnian). Anadolu Agency. 2024-07-17. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  3. ^ "Referee nominations announced for FIBA EuroBasket 2025". FIBA Basketball. 2020-06-30. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  4. ^ Sarajevo, N1 (2024-08-08). "Bosnian referee Ademir Zurapovic to officiate Olympic basketball semifinal". N1 info (in Bosnian). Retrieved 2025-09-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ "Two of the BIBL Finals referees with a prestigious nomination". Balkanleague.net. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  6. ^ "Ademir Zurapović". Olympedia. OlyMADMen. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  7. ^ a b "FIBA publish long list of Paris Olympics referees". FIBA Refereeing. FIBA. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  8. ^ "Refereeing is as much a team sport as the game itself". FIBA Refereeing. FIBA. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  9. ^ "FIBA referee nominations for FIBA EuroBasket 2025 announced". FIBA. FIBA. 2025-01-24. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  10. ^ "Ogroman uspjeh Tuzlaka: Ademir Zurapović glavni sudija finala Eurobasketa". Tuzlanski.ba (in Bosnian). Tuzlanski.ba. 2022-09-18. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  11. ^ "Velika čast za Bosanca: Ademir Zurapović će dijeliti pravdu i na Olimpijskim igrama u Parizu". Radio Sarajevo (in Bosnian). Radio Sarajevo. 2024-03-06. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  12. ^ "EuroLeague Basketball – Official website". EuroLeague. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  13. ^ "Novo priznanje za bh. sudiju: Ademir Zurapović sudi na završnici FIBA Lige šampiona". TuzlaLive.ba (in Bosnian). TuzlaLive. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  14. ^ "FIBA announces referees for the World Cup". BasketNews. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  15. ^ "Veliko priznanje za Bosanca: Ademir Zurapović jedini sudija iz Evrope na FIBA kupu". Radio Sarajevo (in Bosnian). Radio Sarajevo. 2021. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  16. ^ "EuroBasket 2022, arbitri della finale". ANSA (in Italian). ANSA. 2022-09-19. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  17. ^ "Veliko priznanje: Ademir Zurapović – izbor za EuroBasket 2025". Avaz.ba (in Bosnian). Dnevni Avaz. 2025. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  18. ^ "FIBA appoints referees for the Tokyo Olympics". FIBA. FIBA. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  19. ^ "BH sudija Ademir Zurapović na listi FIBA sudija za OI u Parizu". TRT Balkan (in Bosnian). Retrieved 2025-09-02.