Saša Pukl

Saša Pukl
Sasa Pukl in 2017
Born (1970-10-25) October 25, 1970
Maribor, Slovenia

Saša Pukl (25 October 1970, Maribor) is a Slovenian professional basketball referee and an international official licensed by the FIBA[1][2][3] since the mid-1990s,[4][5] widely regarded as one of the most experienced European referees in the Euroleague.[6][7][8][9]

Career

Pukl began refereeing at a young age and entered professional officiating in Slovenia in the 1990s.

He became a FIBA-licensed referee in 1995 and has since served in major international competitions over more than two decades.[8]

Pukl's career spans domestic, regional and global competitions:

  • He has been a recurring official at the EuroLeague, including six assignments at the Final Four stage.[10]
  • In the ABA League, Pukl has officiated for over twenty years.[11]
  • He has also been selected for high-profile assignments in continental championships and finals, including key matches in EuroCup competition.[12]
  • Pukl officiated at the 2012 Summer Olympics basketball tournament.[13]

Notable games

Pukl has been involved in high-pressure and widely reported situations:

  • During a Liga ABA final game in Belgrade, Pukl made the decision to clear the arena due to fan disturbances — a rare measure reflecting strict enforcement of game control and safety standards.[14]
  • He has been at the center of intense on-court reactions, including technical fouls on notable players during EuroLeague contests.[15]

EuroLeague Final Four appearances

Pukl has officiated in the following EuroLeague Final Four tournaments:

  • 2007 EuroLeague Final Four – Officiated at the 2007 Final Four in Athens, Greece.
  • 2015 EuroLeague Final Four – Served as one of the referees during the 2015 Final Four in Madrid, Spain.
  • 2019 EuroLeague Final Four – Assigned as a referee at the 2019 Final Four in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.
  • 2021 EuroLeague Final Four – Officiated at the 2021 Final Four in Cologne, Germany.
  • 2022 EuroLeague Final Four – Selected among the officiating crew for the 2022 Final Four.
  • 2023 EuroLeague Final Four – Took part in the 2023 Final Four in Kaunas, Lithuania.

References

  1. ^ "PUKL, Sasa (SLO) | FIBA Europe". www.fibaeurope.com. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  2. ^ "Sasa Pukl". bgbasket.com. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  3. ^ Seweryn, Marta. "Saša Pukl in Radom - here comes the top experience!!". www.referee.pl. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  4. ^ "Olympedia – Saša Pukl". Olympedia – Main Page. 1970-10-25. Retrieved 2026-01-17.
  5. ^ "2023 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Semifinals referees". Euroleague. Retrieved 2026-01-17. Semifinal B; • Crew Chief: Sasa Pukl - Slovenia
  6. ^ "Referees". Euroleague Basketball. Retrieved 2026-01-17.
  7. ^ "Med potniki v Turčijo tudi sodnik Pukl". slovenskenovice.delo.si. Retrieved 2026-01-16.
  8. ^ a b "Saša Pukl svetuje Dončiću: Manj ukvarjanja s sodniki". Sportklub. 3 October 2023. Retrieved 2026-01-16.
  9. ^ "Sasa Pukl – one of the best active referees in Europe at the camp in Radom – Referee.pl". Referee.pl. 2019-08-15. Retrieved 2026-01-17.
  10. ^ "Euroleague Basketball appoints Final Four referees". Eurohoops. 12 May 2023. Retrieved 2026-01-16.
  11. ^ ABA liga j.t.d. "ABA League referee Saša Pukl receives special reward for 20 years of loyalty : ABA League". aba-liga.com. Retrieved 2026-01-16.
  12. ^ ABA liga j.t.d. "Saša Pukl to officiate 2022 7Days EuroCup Final : ABA League". aba-liga.com. Retrieved 2026-01-16.
  13. ^ "Olympedia – Saša Pukl". Olympedia. Retrieved 2026-01-16.
  14. ^ "Pukl: Ali grški model ali veliko bolj rigorozne sankcije". dnevnik.si. 8 June 2022. Retrieved 2026-01-16.
  15. ^ "Članu Reala povsem počil film: tako se je spravil nad slovenskega sodnika - Žurnal24". zurnal24.si. Retrieved 2026-01-16.
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