Universitas PGRI Madiun (UNIPMA), in collaboration with the Indonesian Basketball Association (PERBASI) and the Madiun City Government, held a Training and Refresher Course for C & B2 category basketball referees. The activity took place from May 22 to 25, 2025, centered in Room T503 of the Integrated Laboratory, as well as the Cendekia Basketball Court.

This initiative reflects a strong partnership between UNIPMA’s Sports Science Study Program and PERBASI to improve both the quality and quantity of basketball referees in Madiun City.

The event’s coordinator, Yona Bayu, S.Or., M.Or., explained in an interview that the program was designed to strengthen the technical understanding and discipline of referees in each match. “The purpose of this activity is to enhance the experience and insight of referees in Madiun City so that they are more disciplined, adhere to official game regulations, and are well-prepared for formal events,” he explained on Wednesday, May 28, 2025.

The opening ceremony, held on Saturday, May 24, 2025, was attended by several prominent figures, including Dr. Supri Wahyudi Utomo, M.Pd (Rector of UNIPMA), Bagus Panuntun (Chairman of PERBASI and Deputy Mayor of Madiun), Grace Evi Ekawati (Chairwoman of PERBASI East Java), Titin Kuntum Mandalawati, S.Pd., M.Or (Head of the Sports Science Department at UNIPMA), as well as UNIPMA students and the general public holding Madiun City ID cards.

During the event, Bagus Panuntun encouraged participants to continuously improve their personal quality and not to become complacent. He stressed the importance of the referee’s role as a vital component in any game, with their professionalism significantly influencing the quality of the match.

Meanwhile, Grace Evi Ekawati delivered a presentation on the development of basketball regulations and the importance of early-stage referee training.

Dr. Supri Wahyudi Utomo, M.Pd., also expressed his full appreciation for the successful implementation of the program. He emphasized that this activity reflects UNIPMA’s strong commitment to developing human resources in sports—not only in playing skills but also in strategic roles such as officiating leadership.

Through this training, it is hoped that basketball refereeing in Madiun will continue to grow and produce high-quality referees who uphold sportsmanship and professionalism.