The Baseball Umpiring Committee appoints 19 Umpire Supervisors

The Baseball Umpiring Committee appoints 19 Umpire Supervisors
29/04/2023
Nineteen Umpire Supervisor appointments signal a new era in European baseball umpiring.

With the 2023 WBSC Europe Baseball season fast approaching, the Umpiring Committee has recruited and trained 19 senior colleagues to oversee and supervise the umpire crews at each of the tournaments.

The newly established Umpire Supervisor role's focus is the frictionless running of umpire operations at club and national team tournaments, closely working with the local organisers. 

As umpires are now getting ready for the summer, Umpire Supervisors have also received their nominations to lead the appointed crew, manage operations, create the game assignments, feedback, and evaluate.

19 Umpire Supervisors are well-known and respected names across the European baseball scenes.

  • Alessia Cicconi (ITA)
  • Alessandro Maestri (ITA)
  • Christian Posny (GER)
  • David Kulhanek (CZE)
  • Dirk Biehl (GER)
  • Edwin Louisa (NED)
  • Fabrizio Fabrizi (ITA)
  • Jens Urban (GER)
  • Marco Screti (ITA)
  • Marco Taurelli (ITA)
  • Marek Vicar (CZE)
  • Mojmir Jankovic (SVK)
  • Pierfranco Leone (ITA)
  • Serge Makouchetchev (FRA)
  • Sergio Radice (ITA)
  • Tony Jones (FIN)
  • Vladimir Richter (CZE)
  • Yuri Machiavelli (ITA)
  • Zdenek Zidek (CZE)

“Introducing the role of Umpire Supervisor is a step that will not only help establish a strong community of baseball umpires across Europe but with the immediate and direct feedback at tournaments it will hugely improve the quality of umpiring as well. We strongly believe that this new pillar will strengthen our strategy, and short-term positive impact will gain further support from all participants of the game.” - said Marco Screti, WBSC Europe Director of Baseball Umpires - “130 active umpires have already received their nominations for this summer’s WBSC Europe tournaments,

we are very much looking forward to engaging with them as one team via the new Umpire Supervisors”

World Baseball Classic and Tokyo 2020 umpire Fabrizio Fabrizi said: “I am very excited about this newly added role to the umpire development strategy. Confident that all umpires will benefit hugely from the undivided attention they will get from us and I personally cannot wait to meet my team and get ready to take the field at our tournament.”

International umpiring veterans Tony Jones and Dirk Biehl share the same sentiment. “Becoming a supervisor means a lot to me. It is recognition for all the years of work I have put into umpiring and umpire training. It is also a reminder to umpires in non-traditional baseball countries to be patient, and your hard work will pay off. It is an absolute honor to be working alongside umpires I have a lot of respect for. I am really proud to be part of this group, setting a standard for current and future baseball officials.” - said Tony Jones.

Dirk Biehl added: “This is a logical step to heavily increase the quality of umpiring in Europe. I am really looking forward to working with our umpires!”

Cover photo by Lauro Bassani Photobass