Referee Whittle closing in on international status

The 33-year-old, from Ormkrik in Lancashire now needs to successfully come through two assessments by referee coaches, which he can arrange anytime in the next three years. 

Paul completed his first Beach Volleyball refereeing course in 2011, having first started line judging in Blackpool in 2009 while at Southport College. 

From there, he went on to attend FIVB World Tour events in Rome, Stavanger and Gstaad and was a line judge at the London 2012 Olympics. 

Paul has subsequently progressed through the grades to become a Grade 1 referee in 2019, officiating in both VEBT and then UKBT events as well as two small Island Games in Gotland and Gibraltar.  

Last year, he was a line judge at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, an event which saw England’s Javier and Joaquin Bello win bronze medals.  

For the European Beach Volleyball International Referee Candidates Course, Paul travelled along with 19 other referees, who between them took charge of matches at an FIVB Futures event. 

“It was a fantastic event to be involved in,” he said. “I was absolutely buzzing to find out I had passed, because it is something I have been working towards for a long time. 

“I still have to pass the referee coaches’ assessments, and the next step will be to get out there and officate at tournaments where I can do that. 

“I started out playing indoor volleyball and it was only when I got asked if I wanted to try to become a line judge for the Olympics that I thought ‘this could be fun’ and gave it a go. 

“When I was 19, I never envisaged it would turn into what it is now, but I have really enjoyed the journey.” 

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