Björn Kuipers
![]() Björn Kuipers in 2013 | |||
Full name | Björn Kuipers | ||
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Oldenzaal, Netherlands | 28 March 1973
Björn Kuipers (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈbjʏrn ˈkœypərs]; born 28 March 1973) is a Dutch football referee. He is an enlisted FIFA referee since 2006. He refereed the 2011 UEFA Super Cup, the 2013 UEFA Europa League Final, the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup Final, and the 2014 UEFA Champions League Final. He was voted Referee of the Year 2013 by the European football refereeing website The Third Team.
Early life and career
Björn Kuipers is born on 28 March 1973 in Oldenzaal in the Netherlands. His father was a football referee.
Kuipers studied business administration the Radboud University Nijmegen and besides adjudicating he was co-owner of three C1000 supermarkets and a hair studio in Oldenzaal.
Football referee
Kuipers is enlisted as a FIFA referee since 2006.[1]
Matches he refereed include finals in the 2006 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship[2] and matches in the UEFA Cup, UEFA Europa League,[3] UEFA Champions League,[4] FIFA Confederations Cup and UEFA European Football Championship. Kuipers is on the A-list (the top table) for football referees from the KNVB.[5]
On 14 January 2009 the leader of the technical staff of the referees of the KNVB, Jaap Uilenberg confirmed that Kuipers was promoted to the highest class within European football. Kuipers is one of the only three Dutchmen who is active on the highest European level.[6]
At UEFA Euro 2012, Kuipers was notably in charge of the Group D match between France and co-hosts Ukraine. In that match, Kuipers took the rare step of suspending the match due to a torrential electrical storm.[7][8]
Kuipers was in charge of the 2011 UEFA Super Cup, the 2013 UEFA Europa League Final between Benfica and Chelsea,[9] and the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup Final between Brazil and Spain.[10]
In late 2013, Kuipers was elected as Referee of the Year 2013 by The Third Team, a website specialized on European football refereeing.[11]
On 7 May 2014, he was appointed to referee the 2014 UEFA Champions League Final between Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid.[12]
Mr. Kuipers refereed the 2014 World Cup Group E game between Switzerland and France and the round of 16 clash that saw Columbia eliminate Uruguay, 2-0. He also appeared on the cover of the 2014-2015 FIFA Laws of the Game publication.
References
- ^ Bjorn Kuipers - Football Referee
- ^ WorldReferee.com - referee - Bjorn Kuipers - bio
- ^ WorldReferee.com - Bjorn Kuipers matches
- ^ Chelsea - Meet tonight's ref: Björn Kuipers
- ^ Netherlands - B. Kuipers - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway
- ^ "Scheidsrechter Kuipers promoveert naar hoogste klasse" op 14 januaari 2009 op sportweek.nl
- ^ Burke, Chris (15 June 2012). "France find their stride to pick off Ukraine". Union of European Football Associations.
- ^ Dawkes, Phil (15 June 2012). "Euro 2012: Sweden v England". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation.
- ^ "Kuipers to referee UEFA Europa League final". UEFA.com. 13 May 2013. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
- ^ Kuipers fluit finale Confederations Cup - NOS Sport
- ^ The 3rd Team Referee of the Year 2013: Björn Kuipers - The Third Team
- ^ "Kuipers handed UEFA Champions League final". UEFA. 7 May 2014. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
External links
Media related to Björn Kuipers at Wikimedia Commons