Aldo Albanesi

Aldo Albanesi was among the best known Italian basketball referees. As a youngster he started playing basketball in the Acli Cestistica Bustese in the mid 1950s, while starting to referee games of the Bustese women’s team. In 1957 he began directing youth and women’s games, débuting in the Italian First League on 7 April 1968 in the game Becchi Forlì-Eldorado Bologna, along with Goffredo Sussi at his last game.

Albanesi was in charge in Italy’s men’s Top League from 1968 to April 1985 (Scavolini-Banco Roma) for a total of 338 games, most of the time along with Marzio Zambelli. Albanesi was an international referee from 1970-85, with 196 caps. He took part in the Montréal Games (1976), two editions of the men’s and three women’s European Championships, an Intercontinental Cup for Nations and one Summer Universiade.

Albanesi also officiated at 3 Cup Winners’ Cup finals, 2 Women’s Champions Cup, and one Intercontinental Cup. In 28 years of refereeing, he officiated about 1,500 official games. In 2004 he became the first referee to be included in the Italy Basket Hall of Fame. He was awarded the CONI Silver Star in 1995 and the gold one in 2003.