Basketball. Roberto has collected 450 matches in Serie A, Beatrice has just started: a few weeks ago they directed a match together
VILLAGE. The excited and proud smile of the father. The shyest and happiest one of her daughter. They hug each other, they stare at the lens with a special light in their eyes. I knowno Beatrice and Roberto Chiari, from Castagnole, abasketball referees with a good story to tell.
Dad Roberto is born in Ancona, but as a young man he moved to the Marca where he carried out many jobs until he became, in 1995, a private banker in an important credit institution.
In parallel, Roberto carries on his great passion for the refereeing of basketball, climbing each category and arriving at theSerie A and beyond: 450 matches refereed in the Italian top league, a first-rate international experience and many heart-pounding matches in the curriculum.
Just think thatthe last match refereed in Serie A was game-7 of the championship match between Sassari and Reggio Emiliaof 26 June 2015, won by the Sardinians after 40 ‘of real battle in the year of the famous treble (Menetti, ahilùi, if he remembers it …).
Beatrice is the third child of Roberto and Nadia. She has an older brother and sister, Sebastiano and Eleonora, and a younger sister, Matilde.
She is eighteen and attends theDa Vinci scientific high school in Treviso. Beatrice has always played basketball as a child, in the ranks of Ponzano, until the company dissolved the under 18 team.
At that point, here’s the surprise as dad Roberto says, not without pride: «Beatrice took the course to become a referee in a totally autonomous way, without telling me anything. It was really a surprise, I was very proud of the path you have made ».
A few weeks ago you refereed a women’s Serie C match together. It was the first time?
«Yes, the match was Conegliano-Virtus Venezia. To tell the truth it had already happened before, a couple of years ago, but it was the first time with the “grown-ups”. Let’s say that the pandemic has changed the cards a bit, we had only managed an under 14 match together, then all activities were suspended and even just having a medical certificate for eligibility became a business ».
Who was more excited than the two?
“Both, albeit in different ways. For me, more than for the match, it was exciting to be on the pitch with her. Beatrice, on the other hand, was very quiet, and she did really well. ”
What dream does Beatrice have? Maybe to follow the exploits of Silvia Marziale, who lives in Serie A?
“It may sound strange, but we don’t talk about arbitrage between us. We watch the games together, you know everything about the NBA and Euroleague teams, but I don’t give you advice, I just try to be a good example. Let’s say I have a drone attitude, she must be free to walk her path with her federal instructors. You can be a heavy burden having to deal with a “bulky” dad, and I do not want you to have favorable treatment in any way because you are the “daughter of Roberto Chiari” ».
Were you still active in the world of basketball?
«Of course, for I have reached the age limit, after the age of 50 I can no longer referee in Serie A, but I am still a referee at regional and youth level. I am also an instructor both at regional level and at Fiba level, one of the 10 international ones and in this period I am doing refresher courses in Cairo and Geneva ».
In the meantime, we look at the reports. And no, Chiari-Chiari will certainly not be a mistake, on the contrary, just a beautiful tale of basketball. –
Unlimited access to all site content
3 months for € 1, then € 2.99 per month for 3 months
Unlock unlimited access to all content on the site