Al Siyabi leads FIBA U-18 final in China

MUSCAT: Omani international basketball referee Issam bin Nasser al Siyabi officiated the final match of the FIBA U-18 Women’s Asia Cup held in China, which brought together the national teams of Australia and Japan. The match ended with an 88–79 victory for Australia, crowning them continental champions. The tournament took place from July 13 to 20 and featured top national teams from across Asia.

Al Siyabi was selected to referee the final as a recognition of his outstanding performance throughout the tournament. He had previously officiated the semifinal between Australia and South Korea, as well as the quarterfinal match between Japan and New Zealand. During the group stage, he also officiated high-profile matches, including Lebanon vs. the Philippines, Korea vs. China, New Zealand vs. Korea, and Australia vs. the Philippines.

With an extensive refereeing career at both regional and international levels, Al Siyabi has previously participated in the second round of the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers held in Bahrain in 2020. He has also refereed in the finals of the Bahraini and Qatari leagues, Gulf championships for men, youth, and juniors, in addition to prominent tournaments such as the Dubai International Basketball Championship and the Shaikh Khalifa Cup in Bahrain. His experience underscores the competence and growing reputation of Omani officiating on the global stage.

Commenting on the achievement, Al Siyabi expressed his pride, saying "officiating the final of a major tournament like the FIBA U-18 Women’s Asia Cup is a very significant milestone in my refereeing career. I’m extremely proud to represent Oman at such a prestigious continental event. This achievement is the result of years of hard work and dedication across local, regional, and international competitions."

"Refereeing in such tournaments demands a high level of focus and both physical and mental effort. The diverse experiences I’ve gained from Gulf, Arab, and international tournaments have helped me manage games with confidence and consistency." He added

Al Siyabi concluded by thanking the Oman Basketball Association for its continuous support, as well as his fellow referees, noting that this participation will serve as a strong motivation to further develop his performance and continue representing Oman in more international championships.