Basketball: Turkish referee to officiate at Tokyo 2020

ANKARA

Turkish basketball referee Yener Yilmaz will officiate in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, it has been announced.

The Turkish Basketball Federation (TBF), in a statement on its website, said Yilmaz, 39, will be the fifth Turkish referee in the history of the Olympic Games with former referees such as Naili Moran, Turgut Atakol, Husamettin Topuzoglu, and Recep Ankarali having served before.

Yilmaz said it was an honor for him to be a part of the summer games scheduled for July.

"To participate in Tokyo 2020 is a dream for everyone," he told the TBF.

The head of Central Board of Referees of Turkish Basketball Federation, Recep Ankarali, said they were proud of Yilmaz, and wished him success.

Some 30 referees from around the world will conduct official duties in the international event.