It was a bit late, yesterday evening, they told this morning, shortly before the start of three major matches in three cushion. ,,But that can happen'', Georges Rottie, who has the overall leading of the referees at the Belgian Championships in Belgium said. ,,We are very serious referees when we are at the tables, but we are also friends. We like to laugh at his time. That's so nice with this group.''
They are with a total of eleven this week, today there are six referees for the three tables. Georges Rottie (73), the coordinator, is for the fourteenth time in Blankenberge, but not on the table. He is with CEB pension, as it's called. ,,I had to quit on my 65th year, but we want to change the maximum of age for this championship.''
The experienced referee, who lives in Zaventem and is a formerly technician in fuel stations, started as an arbiter when he was just over thirty years. ,,I lived across a billiard room, The Welcome in Zaventem, with a group of nine players who played balkline. They asked me many times to be referee in theire matches, because apparently I did it well. I have taken lessons in Brussels, from Mr. Witteleir, did my exams in a match between Ludo Dielis and Tonny Schroeder, who both played the match to 500 points free game in one inning. And since 1976 I am European arbitrator.''
The referee corps in Blankenberge has two UMB arbitrators, Jan Vandenbrande and Philip Desbonnez. Sunday, Georges Rottie says, they only woman is coming, Francoise Docquier, who will be the referee in the finals of the ladies.''
The referees on the picture are: standing: Luc Germonpré, Benny Delvaux, Danny Van Vossen, Philip Desbonnez, Patrick Mintjens. Sitting: Franky Deconinck and Georges Rottie.